


More in You

by Cass04



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Angst, Depressed Cass, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guilt, How Do I Tag, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self Harm, Tags May Change, everyone needs a hug smh, writing will get better as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:48:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23517940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cass04/pseuds/Cass04
Summary: Four years. Such a long time.It’s been four years since she’d last been there. Four years since she’d seen her friends. Her family. Four years since she had faced her mistakes.__________________________________________________________________________"Don't let yesterday use up too much of today."
Relationships: Captain of Corona's Guard & Cassandra (Disney), Cassandra & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider (Disney), Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Cassandra & Varian (Disney: Tangled)
Comments: 76
Kudos: 151





	1. Regrets

**Author's Note:**

> Changed the Title**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first fanfic ever, hope you enjoy! (and sorry if it’s trash lol) 
> 
> Go easy on me ;)
> 
> Enjoy! Comments and criticism welcome!

Four years. Such a long time.

It’s been four years since she’d last been there. Four years since she’d seen her friends. Her family. Four years since she had faced her mistakes.

Four years since she’d seen the result of her hidden rage and sorrow. The destruction, the hurt, the anger, the manipulation.

She had hurt them. All of them. _What had they done to deserve it?_ And while they had forgiven her and welcomed her home with open arms, their hearts on their sleeves, she wasn’t sure if she could even begin to forgive herself. She wasn’t sure if she was deserving of the love and support they so offered her without a second thought. _I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve their forgiveness._

She couldn’t forgive herself for falling into the trap of the ancient demon - for being so gullible… _for being so weak_. For betraying her best friend. For entrapping her father behind a tower of rocks - fallen because of her own actions. For kidnapping the young alchemist - treating her friend as a prisoner... _Do I even deserve to call them that?_ For putting her friends lives in danger for her own benefit - for a destiny she had convinced herself that she had rightly deserved. For the manipulation and angst that had fallen burden on the kingdom that she once had called her home. No. She didn’t deserve it.

She reaches a hand to the purple element resting against her collar bone. A habit she had development over the years. Tears threaten to cross the borders she desperately tried to forbid them from. Her chest caving in on itself as she held her breath. Arms around her knees as she shivered, inching closer to the welcoming flames dancing in front of her. No. She wouldn’t cry. She shuts her eyes, forcing the tears back - fists curling , knuckles white. _Stop_.

It’s been four years since she had faced her mistakes, for she had run away - yearning to escape the plague of guilt that had overtook her ever since she had grabbed the blue opal, and it only grew as time passed. _Coward_.

The nightmares, the memories, the reminders only served to haunt her everyday life - to tell her that she would never escape the growing cloud over her head despite her every effort. No matter how much she lashed out, screamed, ran, or … cried, it would always follow her one way or another. Whether she used her sword when hunting, her cape for warmth, or her coin pouch, the memories followed her every step, plaguing her every move. _Will they ever stop?_

She rests the side of her head on her bent knees, looking to the side. Her sword, cape, and belongings lay there in the midst of night, forgotten. Her face scrunches into a scowl, the fire highlighting her features and the tears that lay on the brim of her eyes. She crawls over to her possessions, taking ahold of her sword she’d carried through all her adventures. _It can’t be all my fault_. Her eyes shift down to her right hand, scarred from the burning it had endured during their journey to the Dark Kingdom. Although it had healed physically, it had left a scar. One she couldn’t easily forget. It brought back an anger she thought she had gotten over four years ago and she tightens her grip. She shakes her head. _I’m wrong_.

She throws her sword to the side, inches aways from where her horse lay resting from the day's tiring journey. She then goes to her torn cape and looks at the scratched clasp in the shape of the moonstone. _Zhan Tiri._ The name leaves a bitter taste in her mouth - her brows furrowed. All of this because she listened to the demon. All of this because the little shit managed to get her head so wrapped up in the idea of destiny that she fell straight into her trap. Her judgement became clouded. Her anger overtook her. And where had it ended up? Her here alone in the middle of the woods with nothing but guilt to accompany her.

“What a place to be.” she murmurs as she takes handfuls of the cape and launches it where her sword lay, a grunt escaping her lips as she does so. The scowl on her face deepens, her hands lay in her lap, fingers digging in her hands as she sits on her knees facing away from the fire and her thrown belongings. Her eyes shut tight, the shadow of her bangs covering them, as she tries to drown the memories from her racing mind. Her shallow breaths slow into pacing gasps as she attempts to calm herself. She was wrong. _It is all my fault._

She made the choices. She chose to listen to the demon. She chose to trap all of her anger. She chose to grab the opal. She chose to fight the princess of Corona. She chose to kidnap the alchemist. She chose to trap her father. She chose to hurt and betray her friends, family, and her kingdom. Her efforts to calm herself were all in vain.

_I chose to be the villain._

And with that, the dam broke loose. Hot, wet streams made their way down her pale face - leaving a salty taste laced on her rosy lips. A whimper escaped from her mouth, teeth grinding against each other. _Stop. Stop._

She deserved this. She knew she did. All the pain. The sleepless nights. The loss of appetite. Flashes of memories raced past her closed eyes. Images of the faces of her friends laced with pain. The desperate, pleading look of her father. The ruins of the castle and the town around her. Her breath quickened, her heart followed. A cold sweat began to form at her forehead, a tremble found its way to her hands, and a shiver overtook her. How could she be so selfish? How could she be so gullible? So foolish? Tears continued to make their way down her face, finding her jaw, and falling down to her lap. _Make it stop_. Her breaths continued to quicken, her right hand lay protectively on her chest. The other supporting her on the ground to her side with a fist - full of grass.

Seeing her distress, her loyal companion, Owl, unfurled his wings to lift himself from the comfort of his branch and made his way to his owner - perching on her shoulder. She looks to her side and opens her eyes to meet the yellow void of her pet’s eyes. His presence calms her, bringing a comfort and reassurance she found was missing. A sad smile tugs at her lips. “Thanks.” her hand makes its way from her chest to his head, the shadow of her bangs still looming over her face. 

Slowly lifting herself to her feet, successfully calming down, she goes to pick up the things that had been forgotten in the midst of her moment. Sighing, she puts them back to their respectful places and returns to her spot back at the dying fire - the sadness never leaving her eyes. The events of the night plagues her as she makes her way into a restless sleep, one thought never leaving her mind.

_It’s all my fault._


	2. Hidden Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, another chapter. Enjoy!
> 
> *there are mentions of blood*

_ “You did this, Cassandra.” _

_ The rubble of the castle she once called home lay forgotten on the cracked floor. The main hall around her was destroyed. The flags of the kingdom that once flung proudly now hang from the ceiling in shreds. The thrones that stood tall, bearing their leaders for years, now lay in ruins in front of her. Splatters of dried blood stain the torn up carpet. The sound of the Kings’ voice boomed loudly in the crowded throne room - the townspeople’s eyes piercing through her like daggers, their comments feeling like punches to the gut. The grim stares of the King and the Queen standing before her weighed her down.  _

_ “I want you to look around. To see all the damage and pain you have caused for the people of Corona. Tell me. What had they done to deserve this?” _

_ She’s on her knees, head down, hands cuffed tightly together in front of her. She doesn’t dare look up, his words angering her slightly. What does she have to look up to anyway? The judging stares of the people that had welcomed her into their home? The townspeople shielding their kids from the sight of her? Was that fear? Or maybe disgust. She tightens her balled fists. Or the disappointment that had laced her father's cold, ominous stare? She couldn’t bear to look at him, her shoulders falling further under his glare. She had to get away. She had to run. She doesn’t belong here. She leans lower into her aching knees as they begin to numb from her weight. _

_ “You have dishonored Corona. Endangered thousands of lives. Released an ancient demon. Destroyed the Kingdom. Betrayed the Crown on more than one occasion. These crimes were all done under your hand - by you. What do you have to say, Cassandra?” _

_ Her knuckles ache from the constant pressure against the cracked, unforgiving floor. Her face is shielded, much to her relief, by her curly, dark, unkempt strands. Eugene’s boot shifts as he stands to her left side - ready to bring her down and protect the Kingdom from her if need be - his gaze relentless and colder than ice. It’s funny really. She once prided herself in protecting this very Kingdom - in being a fierce warrior taking an oath of loyalty to her home to shield it from any and all who seek to destroy it. Now, they needed to protect the Kingdom from her. The thought makes her blood run cold and a shiver takes hold of her as a sad smirk makes its way onto her lips at the irony. Her eyes are frozen - staring at the floor, she feels broken, almost numb. _

_ The throne room runs quiet, awaiting her response. The silence deafens her ear, a panic slowly making its way through her. She peeks through the parted strands of hair, never once daring to look up - her eyes dull and tired, their color seeming to have faded to a muted grey. She sees their forbidding, cynical glares. The fear that has overcome them. They whisper anxiously among themselves and their neighbors as their glances shift from the King, to her, then back. Some had bandages around their arms, legs, even their heads. There were some villagers with canes under their grips to assist their walking. She even spotted a villager with a missing leg. Had she done this? Had she really caused all this anguish? She didn’t mean to. She just wanted to find her destiny.  _

_ “Of course you did. You caused all of this. You may think you didn’t, but that'd just be deceiving.” a childlike voice echoed throughout the room, an unmistakable accent accompanying it. Her breath hitches as she looks around. However, no one seemed to hear the ancient demon. Regardless, she didn’t want her here. Not again. “No one would be bleeding and suffering if it weren’t for your actions.” A laugh follows. Images of the Battle of Zhan Tiri played in front of her in flashes: citizens screaming, running. She sees people trapped under the rubble, screeching in pain. And among the ruins she sees a loose limb, a pool of blood forming under its open side. Had she done all of this? The images fade, and she finds herself face to face with the ancient demon, a familiar sickening smile plastered on her blue transparent face. _

_ “Zhan Tiri.” _

_ “I’ve played you as a fool, Cassandra.” her smile widens unnaturally, pupils shrinking. The room is flying, her breath quickens, eyes widen, heart racing, her right hand aches….  _

_ “Well?” the King's voice snaps her attention back and the demon dissipates. She lifts her head, face pale with dismay and shock, lips parted slightly. The King is on his feet - inching closer and closer to her. As he does, she mirrors him, shifting further and further away from the man she feared the most at the moment.  _

_ “I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t want-” but she was cut short. _

_ “You didn’t want to what?” this time the question didn’t come from the King. Instead, it came from someone she had considered her closest friend at a time. Rapunzel stepped to the side, exposing herself and her scowl as she looked down at someone she used to call a friend. Her hands were at her sides, balled up in fists. Her body was covered with cuts and bruises that haven’t been attended to. Her dress was torn up in multiple places, her long, blonde hair replaced with short, brown strands. Her former friend looked horrible and a pained guilt made itself evident to the prisoner. _

_ “Please, I didn’t mean for this to happen. I - .” her own voice sounded so foreign and distant. She reaches her cuffed hands forward toward her former best friend, as if to reach her, but she never got to finish her sentence. Rapunzel turns away from her, now facing the thrones that lay in ruins - her voice piercing through the quiet of the room. _

_ “I gave you  _ so  _ many chances, Cassandra.  _ We  _ gave you so many chances. But you chose to reject every one. And all you did was cause more pain than you were worth. No more. You destroyed the Kingdom. My home.” Rapunzel turns to face her. Tears brimming the edge of her green eyes, hands brought together over her chest, brows furrowed. Seeing Rapunzel like this made her chest cave in. “You hurt me. You hurt my friends. You hurt my family. You almost killed us!” her voice began to strain, her eyes lacing with anger she’d never seen before. “I cannot forgive you for that.”  _

_ With those words, she felt as though someone had stabbed her over and over. Her mouth hung open, her eyes widened with every sentence that escaped the young Princess’s lips. Tears of her own threatening to spill over. She couldn’t breathe. The stares directed towards her had been suffocating. A childlike laughter had been echoing in the throne room, haunting her every moment. It’s too much for her to take. “Rapunzel, wait!” but it was too late. The Princess had made her way out of the room and into the destroyed palace. She becomes painfully aware of the whispers of the townspeople that surrounded her and the daunting laughter of the demon - she shut her eyes and shook her head, hands making their way to her ears, attempting in vain to drown their voices out.  _

_ “How could she?” _

_ “Traitor.” _

_ “She’s lucky she’s not getting lynched.” _

_ “Fool.”  _

_ She couldn’t do it anymore. She had to get out of there. Hot tears make their way down her face. She wasn’t any of those things. Was she? She lowered her head to the side allowing the veil of black to, once again, cover her features. Her face scrunched up into a frown, anger finally seeping through. She had to get away. She couldn’t stay here. And with that, she rises, shakily, to her feet, observing the room - looking for an exit. As she does, she catches a glimpse of her father. His face was static - fixed into a scowl, the disappointment never leaving his eyes for a second. She flinches and turns away from him. It hurt to look at him. _

_ I just wanted to make you proud, Dad.  _

_ Hot rivers continue their journey from her check to the floor as she looks around for an exit. The whispers of the people continue to make their way to her as she starts to hyperventilate. She can’t breathe. Her legs barely support her weight. It’s too much. Thankfully, she locates an exit and she found her legs moving to their own accord toward it. She wouldn’t get far, however.  _

_ “Guards! Stop her!”  _

_ BOOM. _

_ Before she could comprehend what had just happened, she found herself enveloped in oranged smoke. She winces as she feels a forceful impact make contact with her leg. Coughing, she looks down as the mysterious smoke subsides to reveal her foot stuck in growing, orange amber. Her panic only growing, she failed to notice an open gash as she tried to pull her leg out. She screams as she feels a pain shooting up her leg and looks down- only to be met with spreading blood covering the expanding amber. Her eyes widen and her frown deepens as she looks around for the culprit. The crowd of villagers start to scream and run, making their way to the exits. But amidst the chaos, she finds him. The young alchemist comes out from behind his contraption, blue eyes clashing with a dulled hazel. “Varian?” her voice is barely a whisper. She breaks eye contact to find the amber making its way up to her chest. She looks back at him with pleading eyes, but he lowers his head, turns, and walks away before another word could be said between the two. She finds herself fully crying, tears flowing freely onto the amber - burning on contact as it envelops her unforgivingly.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, thoughts, and criticism welcome! lmk what you guys think :)
> 
> Okay so, I heard that the peak of the virus is supposed to be this week. I hope you guys are all safe and are staying inside!


	3. Hidden Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a while, this chapter gave me some trouble. Enjoy!

“Gah!” 

Short of breath, Cass woke up gasping for air - placing a hand over her chest, protectively. She had stopped breathing a couple of moments ago, holding her breath toward the end of the nightmare, a cold sweat forming on her forehead. She opened her heavy lids, eyes wet, and sat up - a hand behind her to support her position. Dried streaks painted her face, a salty taste lingering in her mouth. Her lips, dry from the night's cold air, feel swollen - blood making its way into her mouth; a metallic taste mixing with salty remains. She reaches a hand to her bottom lip, fingertips outlining teeth marks. Scratches cover her hands, a result of her tossing and turning throughout the night against the dirt of her camping ground. A frown makes its way to her face. Over the past couple of years, this has become the norm - something she even expected at this point, much to her disliking. 

“Damn it.”  _ Will this ever stop? I can’t do this anymore.  _ Her brows sink further.

It was only a nightmare. Something that she had become accustomed to over the years, unfortunately. And she hated them. She hated the guilt that accompanied them. They would feel so  _ real…  _ so punishing. Anytime she would have one, she would awake in the same condition, sometimes worse; as a result, what some would consider a full night's rest would feel as though she had only slept a couple of hours. 

But she felt as though she had deserved those restless nights. After all, she had been let off the hook too easily back in Corona, it would be foolish of her to think her past wouldn’t come back to plague her - it always had.  _ I’m done playing the fool.  _ She huffed irritatedly as she grabbed her mix-matched gloves and shoved them on, memories of what she’d seen in the door of The House of Yesterday’s Tomorrow seeping through to prove her point - but she shook them off, her scowl never once leaving her face. She couldn’t dwell on these sorts of things.

She knew that the chain of events that had transpired in her nightmare were far from the truth - nothing of that nature had actually happened after the battle against her foe. _Well, no. That’s not entirely true._ She rolled her eyes menacingly at herself before the grim frown claimed its place once again. They had happened, at one point or another. She _had_ hurt Rapunzel. She _had_ hurt her friends, her family - placed their lives in harm's way. Varian _had_ encased her in the amber before she took over Corona. She cringed internally - she had also kidnapped the young alchemist. And… she had disappointed her father - he tried to hide it, but all she needed was a glimpse to know that he had been disappointed with her and she got it at their confrontation in the alley: when he had commanded her to surrender. She wouldn’t forget the look in his eyes, she had never thought her father would ever use those words against her. She lay limp. _But he did._ A sigh escaped her lips, a black veil covering her features. Eugene had taken over as Captain of the Royal Guard, a position she yearned for her whole life. She had to admit, it hurt to see. A pang of jealousy made itself evident every time she thought about the first time she saw him in the uniform. It made feelings she thought had disappeared over the years return with full force. She was overlooked. No matter how hard she tried to stand out, to show her father and her friends that she was someone special, her efforts were always in vain and she was pushed aside.

 _No, no no no. Stop._ Cass shook her head, shocked with herself - she couldn’t feel like this anymore, not after what she had done. Regret seeped into her gut. These feelings had no place in her life - they had been too destructive. She had seen, first hand, what they had done. _Ugh, who am I kidding?_ With the help of Zhan Tiri, she had played straight into their hands, and she was manipulated into using them to, foolishly, fuel and justify her actions. The result of her falling victim to these feelings still follows her to this day and they had affected the ones she loved back in Corona as well - leaving scars on both sides she wasn’t sure would heal. 

She had moved on - or at least she tried to, the guilt made the task harder than she thought it would be when she had first ventured from Corona out into the world. She wouldn’t allow herself to dwell on these feelings, however, no matter how much they hurt or how much guilt they carried. She couldn’t. She had things to do - a destiny to find. She had been given another chance,  _ graciously _ , and she would  _ not _ mess it up, again. She bawled her gloved hand into a tightening fist in front of her scrunched-up face, her lips parted to reveal her teeth grinding together angrily, her eyes slick and narrow. A low growl escaped her lips.  _ No more.  _ The cloud of guilt made its way over her head again, shame accompanying it. How could she allow herself to feel like this after everything she’d done? Horrible things were now permanently written in her history - all the results of her actions, she had caused so much hurt, and yet, her friends had welcomed her back. How dare she allow room for those thoughts to even come close to her again? They had forgiven her, welcomed her home, and accepted her.  _ I didn’t deserve it, though. _ No matter how horrifying her nightmares were or how many times old feelings resurface, she knew that there was a hidden truth: she didn’t deserve their forgiveness. She hadn’t done anything to deserve it yet - from her perspective, these nightmares were nature’s form of punishing her for her horrid crimes in a way she found was justifiable. But, even for her, this had all been too much.  _ I can’t do this anymor _ e. Her teeth hurt, circulation cutting off of her hand, her eyes closed - 

“ _ Whhoo _ .”

“Huh?” she looked up, just now surveying her surroundings. The sun was peeking through the horizon, coloring the sky an ombre of blues, pinks, and oranges, its rays kissing the clouds looming above, sharpening their curves with defining shadows. The remnants of the fire she had made the night before lay before her, the dancing flame dissipated as the cold night went on. The ashes of the sticks and leaves remain, the only clues one would have to know a fire had once lived there, the whites and greys contrasting with the greens and browns of the scenery around it. She turns to find her belongings placed in a neat pile a few feet away from her, near the sleeping Fidella. Her tired, hazel eyes search the area in hope of finding the one responsible for the sound that snapped her out of her trance.

She found her culprit perched on a nearby boulder - his head tilted slightly to the side. His narrow, yellow eyes signalling a concern only she had learned to read over the years. He lets out an innocent, “ _ Whhoo.” _ once again.  _ Are you ok? _

Cass looks to the ground, her hair covering half of her face, then back to her companion. She knew this was coming, so she gave him the answer she would always give when he would bring up this topic. “I’m fine.” she said numbly and a silence followed. His glare hardens, eyelids coming closer together - his head tilting even further to the side, as if to tell her that he knew better. Of course _ he did _ . He wouldn’t be beating around the bush - he never did. She moves her head away from his gaze, knowing all too well that he wouldn’t let this go - an agitated groan breaking the silence as she does so. Considering the scene that she had made the night before, she knew this conversation was far from over - but she didn’t want to talk about it, she didn’t talk about her feelings openly.  _ But that’s what got me into this mess in the first place. _ She sighs, shifting so that her back was supported against a log, bringing her knees to her chest. Her eyes close and she brings a hand to her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. She wasn’t fine. Both of them knew it was a blatant lie and that she should talk about the subject - especially, if the bags under her eyes had anything to say about it. She hadn’t been ‘fine’ for the past four years. These thoughts and images haunted her every breathing moment and they were relentless. Vague flashes of her nightmare played behind her heavy eyes, proving her point. She was  _ exhausted _ and she didn’t have the energy to pick with her company. She was getting annoyed with the questioning look she was getting from the warm-blooded creature to her side.  _ Why can’t he just leave me alone? _

Owl tilts his head even further to the side, deciding he would try to draw an honest answer from his owner again. He flapped his wings and took to the sky for a second before landing on the log Cass was leaning on. He noticed annoyance clearly lacing her face, her hand still pinching her nose. But he wouldn’t give up that easily, he knew when she needed help, even if she was being too stubborn to accept it, even if she lashed out. “ _ Whoo - hoo.”  _ and with that, she snapped. Her hands flung to her sides.

“ _ I said, I’m fin _ \- oh” she stopped mid-sentence, bringing a hand up to her mouth, shocked. Her right hand tingles dully and she tenses up, biting her lip. The last time she had said those words, was the beginning of her demise. When she said those words, she had allowed the thoughts and feelings to take over - keeping them locked inside, permitting them to slowly break the bond between her and her friends. And consequently, she ended up here. She looked ashamedly away from her pet, vision blurry. “Sorry.” 

Smooth feathers brush her arm reassuringly and Cass turns to face him - frustration painting her face.

“It’s just that… gah, nevermind.” Why _ is this so hard?!  _ Owl looked at her with a look of encouragement and she couldn’t help but give in. “Damn it, Owl.” A brief silence followed before she broke it once again. 

_ “ _ I- I know that they forgave me, but I just,  fuck… I just don’t think I deserve it. Not yet, at least. Why would they give me a second chance? Especially after… everything I did.” she sighs. “I can’t keep living like this, Owl. I can’t sleep, eat. Everywhere I look I see Corona, Rapunzel, Dad… .” Her vision continues to blur, but she won’t allow herself to break down in front of her feathery companion again, she had been doing that too often. She extended her hands out in front of her. “I can’t believe myself. I fell for Zhan Tiri’s tricks and betrayed Rapunzel. How could I have brought myself to do that?” her breath hitches. She brings her hand around her knees and squeezes them together. She places her forehead on her kneecaps, letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “How do I come back from something like that, Owl? I thought getting away from everything would do me some good - I thought I could move on. I -” she lifted herself up onto her feet, walking toward the remains of the fire from the night before while she ran a hand through her hair, allowing it to rest at the bottom of her neck. “I know that… that I deserve this, but am I really better off here? I spent four years looking for a destiny and I'm still stuck on square one.” A silence overtakes them. She lowers her head and tilts it to the side, looking at Owl from the corner of her eye. He would’ve missed what she said next had it not been for the quiet of the woods around them. “I miss them.” and with that, the silence takes a hold of the scene around them once again. At this point, Fidella was awake and observing the scene in front of her. 

Owl unfurls his wings, leaving the log and circles around to face her - floating in front of her.

“ _ Whooo.” Go back. _

Her eyes widen and she frowns, she crosses her hands in front of her, defensively. “What? No, I- I can’t go back!”

“ _ Hooo” _

“What do you mean, why not?” her frown deepens and she moves her hands to her hips. “Didn’t you see how people were looking at me when I left? Someone lost a leg because of me, what am I supposed to say? They wouldn’t want to see me anyway - the people wouldn’t want an… ex-criminal back.” her fists ball at her side, shoulders sag, eyes shut tight. Memories of her leaving the Kingdom came flooding back, her legs stiff. But even she wasn’t sure of herself. “Right?” Sure, they had given her harsh glares, and whispered unspeakable things under their breaths but she knew she wouldn’t feel like herself if she kept this up. Both she and Owl knew this too. He could see it in her eyes on the nights where she would subconsciously hold the purple element on her chest, when she looked at her sword fondly after a day of hunting, her moistening eyes reflecting the light of the fire as she did so. Though she didn’t notice, her company had been keeping an eye on her and they had been concerned. And she was just being stubborn. But two could play at that game. 

Owl gave her a disapproving glare - he wouldn’t let up this time. This conversation had happened before, and each time she would lash out and refuse. Not this time. His glare harshened at the thought - and Cass had noticed it. 

She sighed defeatedly, knowing what was going on inside of his head. “You think I should go?” he nodded affirmatively. She scratched the back of her neck, “I don’t know, Owl.”

“ _ Whoo!”  _ he jerked closer to her, causing her to take a step backwards as she put her hands up defensively, a slight fear making its way onto her features. 

“Woah, okay, okay!” and she turned to her horse for reassurance, worry painting her expression, “What do you think, Fidella?” she was met with another confirming nod. And a sad smile tugged at her rosy lips, a joy making its way into her eyes. “Guess I’m outnumbered, huh?” her company answered with determined looks and she finally gave in with a sigh.

“Alright, let’s pay Corona a visit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter won’t be out for a bit! 
> 
> In the meantime, thoughts, comments, and criticism are welcome! :)


	4. Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so a couple of things!
> 
> Sorry for this chapter taking so long, it gave me a lot of trouble and writers block hit me hard. I would not have made it through writing it without this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1SOVy5uVug  
> Take a listen!
> 
> Second, a couple of warnings for ya:  
> There is mild swearing.  
> There are mentions of self-harm. If that's not your thing, you can skip it. You'll know the part is coming up because I've marked it like so:  
> -  
> *  
> -  
> Again, you can skip the part if you want. 
> 
> Another thing, If you see - before a section, it means the story is being told from a different perspective. If you see ___________ before a section, it just means that time had passed. Just incase you get confused!
> 
> This chapter was originally going to be longer, but I decided to cut in in half. The other half will be out later this week.
> 
> I did change the title of the story, sorry for the confusion. 
> 
> Anyway, sorry for all the boring stuff. But now that that's done, I hope you enjoy the chapter! :)

To say that Cass was nervous would’ve been a major understatement. She tried to hide it the best she could, but Owl had caught the way her hands shook as she went through all her things - bundling them up as she packed her possessions. He would notice her flinch, how her hands would linger on the sword that she’d carried long before their journey out of Corona, the way her legs stiffened every now and again, how she curled up next to the fire the day before their travel back- reflections of the dancing flames losing their shapes in her eyes the more they moistened, her trance lasting until she fell over into the restless realm of sleep. 

It hurt him to know that she felt the need to hide whatever was bothering her - that it took so long for her to open up to him, despite everything they’ve been through. And even when she did, she was reluctant. But he chose to not press the issue, knowing he wouldn’t be getting the same results as he did the morning before and would only cause her to shut down further; so he opted, instead, to keep an eye on her from a distance.

She had been quiet, unusually so. Typically, when she and her company would pack to head to their next destination, she would make conversation with her companions: whether it was telling Owl to scout ahead, or petting Fidella whilst feeding her an apple - praising her for all the weight she carried on the road. But ever since the conversation she had with her feathery friend the morning before, she had remained silent - a lost look in her eyes, covered with a veil of anger - a frown plastered on her face. Owl was concerned. She did this a lot, but he couldn’t help but worry. 

-

The journey to Corona was going to take a while, but that was fine with Cass. She wasn’t in too much of a hurry. Besides, she had made the decision to go back just the morning before, and to say the least, she hadn’t been too keen on it. She tried to slow the process of packing as much as she could, however the yellow eyes fixated on the back of her head made sure she didn’t slow too much. They had a kingdom to get to. But even then, she couldn’t help but linger as she went through her things. With each item that lay in her grip, stories accompanied them - stories she would much rather have not revisited - and she would find herself lost in thought, her gloved fingers brushing the edge of her belongings, outlining the scratches that lay on their surface. With each instance a memory arose, a shaky hand would tighten and she would move onto the next item - an attempt to repress her thoughts and feelings once again; something that had proved fruitless these past few days, much to her dismay. But she didn’t care, she would try anyway.

She had unveiled most of what was bothering her in the days past to her feathery companion and she wasn’t proud about it. It made her feel weak… ugh, vulnerable even - and that wasn’t her. Then again, she hadn’t been herself since she grabbed the blue opal. She grimaced at the thought and pushed it away. She considered herself to be a private person, and she couldn’t help but feel exposed. With the events that had played over the past few days, the words had spilled out her mouth like a waterfall with almost no control, much to her annoyance. 

Of course, she knew it was for the better and was secretly grateful her feathery friend had made her talk, but that didn’t mean she was comfortable with it either. She sighed internally - the cat was out of the bag and this was the result. Nothing she could do about it now - her frown deepened.  _ But, I can’t keep doing this.  _ She tried to push her feelings behind her iron doors once again, annoyed with how emotional she had been getting, but all her attempts have been met with failure, so she tried to distract herself with different thoughts. Besides, she’d deal with them… later. Her right hand tingles and she looked down at it - balling it into a fist. 

It’s not to say that Cass wasn’t excited - she was, even if it was a little. She was going to see her… friends and family after four years. Who wouldn’t be at least a little thrilled? But the excitement was short lived, easily overshadowed by her doubts, the cloud of guilt making its way over her head - an invisible weight now making itself known once again. Whispers filled her mind: _It’s your fault. They pitied you. You’ll always be_ ** _alone_** _._ She looked down at her sword, currently resting in the palm of her hand, waiting to be placed respectfully on her back. _Why is it shaking?_ Her vision blurred, the trembling that had plagued her hand worsening, and she lay stiff, her shoulders slumped over. What if they didn’t want to see her? What if this was a mistake? _Am I really their friend? How could I be? I had done too- no._ She closed her eyes. Inhale. Exhale. And shook her head strenuously. _Get a grip._ She said she wasn’t going to do this again today, and she meant it. She had done this, whatever this was, enough for the past few days and she was _exhausted,_ and not to mention, very, _very_ annoyed. She wasn’t going to break down again. _Ignore it._ Her frown struggled to retake its place on her face, but eventually it did and she looked over to Owl, his glare stirn but concerned. Sighing, she looked to the ground from the corner of her eye. _I can’t catch a damn break, can I?_ shaking her head, she went back to packing her things, a goal in mind: finish packing by dusk. So she worked statically - the frown stubbornly fixated in its place - her iron doors closing for the final time that day. 

______________________________________________________________________________________

They were a day away from Corona and would reach the outskirts of the kingdom by dusk tomorrow. The previous days of traveling had come and gone uneventfully. A heavy silence had taken over, the only sound made by the travelers was the unfurling of Cass’s map. But Cass welcomed it, finding comfort in it in fact, for even her mind had decided to indulge in the silence that had surrounded them, much to her satisfaction. 

It had approached twilight, and Cassandra set up camp - something she now accepted as routine. She ventured off to collect wood - an easy task considering their surroundings - her companions resting as she did so. She returned shortly, starting a fire with no effort and laid back- enjoying the radiating variations of oranges and yellows from the dancing flames in front of her as they grew. The day was ending and the parting rays of the sun painted the sky beautiful shades of scarlets and blues, silhouettes and shadows sharpening features of the landscape around them. She turned to admire the view - her arms around her legs as she laid her head down on her kneecaps, eyelids half closed, and a small smile planted on her lips. She was… calm for what seemed like the first time in forever. Upon having this realization, she returned to face the fire in front of her, a sigh escaping her. The last time she had felt this content was before she had left Corona. And like then, the feeling didn’t last long, but she would enjoy the moment of reminisce she would get. Memories of Corona invaded her mind. But she doesn’t resist like she would before, letting them play out in front of her. Transparent images in the midst of the fire danced. Smiles, laughs, cries of joy, bickering, witty responses. Gold hair. Black. Brown. A blue streak. Gold armor. All make an appearance before her. And she welcomes it, finding comfort in them - a feeling she had missed terribly. 

Her eyes started to water from keeping them exposed to the dry summer air, but she wouldn’t dare break the trance - afraid of what might happen if she did. It had been so long since she had felt this nostalgia, and she didn’t want to let go, she was… desperate. All the sleepless nights, the loss of appetite, the breakdowns - they happened on a daily basis at this point. And she would accept them as punishment; knowing that she deserved it. But this. This hadn’t happened to her in what seemed like a millenium; the world, with all its troubles, had disappeared for what seemed like a second - her mind left blank. Content. Her rosy lips tug at both ends, widening her smile as her trance continues, the flames dancing before her stronger than ever - a vivid hazel coloring her eyes. 

She hadn’t realized how much she had missed them. Their smiles, their voices. And she saw them all in the swaying flames - yearning to relive those moments again; she extended her hand halfway toward the fire, as if she could reach in and touch them. A reassurance came flooding into her.  _ I guess it was time I visited Corona, anyway. I -I’ve missed them so much. _ She lay there, tranquility surrounding her for what seemed such a short amount of time.

The bittersweet moment wouldn’t last, however. They never did for her. A fluorescent blue began seeping through the edges of the transparent images. A childlike laughter crept into her ears, leaving a bitter taste lingering in her mouth, and her smile faltered, slowly slipping off her face. The faces of the ones she loved twisted in fear, anger, disappointment - tears filling their eyes; hers following shortly thereafter.  _ No. _ Her eyes widened, color draining from her skin, a growl making its way through her paled lips - a blue face accompanied with an unnatural grin forming before her.  _ Not again.  _ A panic built inside of her, evident by the shaking of her shoulders and the grip around her knees tightening - knuckles white. Screams accompanied the mocking laughter in her ears, echoing back and forth - pleas, cries, and words, harmful words, sickly complimenting the ominous sounds conquering her hearing.  _ ‘How could you?’ ‘P-please, no.’  _ ‘ **_It’s your fault_ ** _.’  _ Her lips fall into a grim line, her trance breaking from the fire, her vision tilting toward the rubble of her campsite. She was left blinking and shaking her head profusely - attempting to wave off the tears and images plaguing her sight.  _ Gahh, I can’t - I’m n-not doing this. I said I wouldn’t do this again. _ And she closes her eyes, her lids trembling from the force, the corner of her scowl twitching, as she desperately brings her hands to her ears - fighting aimlessly to drown the world out for what seemed like hours, grunts and whimpers breaking the quiet of the night, until an unforgiving sleep silenced her efforts, sending her into the realm of nightmares - a lone wet streak painting her face. 

-

Owl had been watching. And he had been worried far more than he had been for the past few years. He tried to howl out to her, to break her from her daze, but his efforts were in vain and she stayed in her protective position until her exhaustion caught up and had overtaken her. Now, she lay on her side, her legs bent, her hands in front of her face, relaxed and twitching on occasion. Seemingly at ease. 

But her face had spoken a different story. It was scrunched up, a frown plastered, her nose crinkled slightly. Her eyes were shut tight, dark circles and bags contrasting the paleness of her face - making it seem as if she were getting no rest at all. Her hair was disheveled - strands sticking to her wet forehead. A shiver had overcome her, dulled, rosy lips trembling as the unattended fire gave out the last of its flames. It was a sad sight for her companion to see - his strong, proud owner compromised under her own hand, her own guilt; his brows furrowed. It wasn’t right. 

He flew over to their belongings and unbuckled one of their satchels, peeking inside. A folded blanket was waiting for him and he took a hold of it with his beak, pulling it out, allowing it to unfurl into its full length. Owl then glided through the midnight air toward his owner and let go of the cover, permitting it to fall gracefully onto the sleeping figure below. 

He knew she couldn’t help it but he was still perturbed by the site. This had gone on far too long and he was glad that they would be back in Corona soon. For four long years, he had to endure seeing the suffering she allowed herself to live through. And he couldn’t take anymore. This was too much, even for her, and she knew it too - she wouldn’t have agreed to go on this trip if otherwise. He wouldn’t allow this to continue, not if he had anything to say about it. A murmur took him away from his thoughts, sending his attention over to the figure next to the unattended fire. 

“N..no. I didn-” the shiver that overtook her worsened, the blanket he had thrown upon her doing nothing to ease it. A soft  _ ‘hoo’  _ made its way through the night and he looked away. The closer they had gotten to Corona, the more her nightmares had worsened. She’d awaken, a yelp piercing the night sky, the cold sweat on her forehead forcing her bangs to stick, the color draining from her face as she would sit up. Her hands would make their way around her, and she would hold herself protectively - an inconsolable look in her eyes as she numbly stared into nothingness. And she would stay like that until the rays of the sun impaled the night sky. When it did, she would look over to the sunrise in a daze until she’d get up wordlessly, pack their things, and they would be back on the road again - as though nothing had happened. Owl shook his head.

He’d be there, knowing eyes following her every move. It killed him that she wouldn’t talk about it. But that was fine with Owl. For now. They were a day away from Corona and he desperately hoped that it would bring her some level of comfort. She couldn’t go on like this and he was determined in getting her the help she needed. He sighed, planning on being there for her when she’d awaken, the way he had been for the better part of their four years on the road. But soon enough, fatigue caught up and took him into a reluctant sleep.

-

*

-

Cass had been awake long before the sun decided to make its way over the vast horizon. Her hair was a mess, hands and face covered in scratches, a paleness evident, teeth marks on her dry lips, palms sweaty, dried stains of rivers on her face, and drops of blood covering her body… but not every drop was the result of her sleeping figure scraping the ground of the camping site. Open wounds lay on her skin from a different hand, red tears slipping off her arm and onto the dry dirt beneath her, creating a small puddle. 

It seems that she had paid dearly for the reminisce she experienced yesterday evening - but that was fine. It was worth it, it was worth forgetting for what seemed like a minute; forgetting the pain, the memories that accompanied it, the guilt. At that moment she had forgotten that it was her fault. That for a second, she thought she deserved their love. That the memories that haunted her relented for a moment. 

But they had come back; she knew they would eventually - so she dealt with them the way she had promised herself before they had left for their journey to Corona. She sat on a log, her right arm bare on her knee, facing the skyline - left to her thoughts, a sad smile on her face, and a forgotten gray glove and knife a few feet away from her. 

Her two other companions were well into dreamland- a place she now dreaded. She thought Owl would’ve been awake to greet her, but it seems that even he couldn’t escape the exhaustion - and she wouldn’t blame him for that, couldn’t even, not after everything he’d done for her. She turned to his sleeping form, looking at him from the corner of her eye. She was so grateful for having him with her. He was there for her for so long - the way a loyal friend should be.  _ Maybe I should get a lesson from him about that sometime, huh?  _ She smirked numbly - turning away.

They were less than a day away from Corona.  _ Less than a day away. _ A shiver made its way down her spine. It had been four years. Four years since the damage. Four years since she had faced her mistakes. And she was scared. She feared what might greet her once she crossed the gate.. if they even let her cross. She had missed her friends and family terribly, but she wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to see her - she wouldn’t want to see herself had she been in their position. How could they? Not after everything she’d done. Not to mention that she practically ran away after, too scared - no - too  _ ashamed  _ to face the result of her own destruction. All the pain she had caused. All the damage. The hearts she broke. It had been all of her fault. She had been a fool, a coward. She bawled her hands into fists, digging her fingers into the palms of her hands. She looked to the ground, eyes shut tight. How dare she go back? She wasn’t welcomed- no, she didn’t  _ belong  _ there. Not anymore. She tilted her head to the side - basking half her face in shadows. 

None of it mattered though. She knew that there was no turning back now, they had come this far, and she wasn’t one to back down - and even if she could, she was pretty sure her companions were to the point where they would practically drag her to the kingdom no matter how she felt or how much she thought she didn’t deserve it. And she wouldn’t make them go through that - it would be selfish of her and she had no right in being selfish anymore; she saw how her greed affected the ones she loved and she wouldn’t have it. Besides, she said she would deal with her feelings another way and she had earlier that morning.

She sighed, stood to her feet, rubbed the blood off her arm, and brought her rolled up sleeve down, bringing her glove over her right hand - covering the cuts of her own design. She bent down onto one knee, picked up her knife, and held it in front of her now stoic face, remnants of her own blood covering the sharp edges - disappointed with herself. She had dealt with them alright. 

She had done this before and Owl had caught her, bringing her back to her senses. She wiped the blood off the blade and returned it to its sheath. She knew she shouldn’t have, it was painful, and she hadn’t for a while. But the nightmares and thoughts that had haunted her the past few days had been too much to keep inside her head - they hurt more than the cuts ever would. She couldn’t help it.  _ It’s all too much. _ She couldn’t take it anymore. If he ever found out she was doing this again, well…  _ no _ ,  _ he won’t. _ She tugged at her gray glove, now stained with her own blood.

It didn’t matter if he found out anyway, it wouldn’t change anything - she deserved it. This was the only way she could ensure she got the punishment she deserved - the only way she could deal with her guilt. She crossed her hand over her body, allowing it to grip her left elbow. It was for the better. She didn’t want to trouble her friends anymore than she already had; it would be selfish and… the ones she loved had suffered enough from her selfishness - she wouldn’t allow it again. She turned away from the rising dawn, her bangs shielding her face, the color leaving her eyes. They’ve dealt with her for the past four years. It was better this way. She could deal with it herself and wouldn’t be a bother to them.  _ They shouldn’t suffer from my own mistakes. This is the only way.  _ The only way to deal with her guilt. The only way to not fall burden to her friends again. The only way to ensure she got the punishment she deserved. Yes, she deserved this. Every drop of blood that fell from her scarred right arm. Every tear drop falling off her chin, every voiceless scream that would escape, the grinding of her teeth - all results of the blade digging into her skin. Each cut would dig deeper and deeper - leaving behind marks, leaving behind scars. Every scar stayed to remind her of what she had done. To remind her that it was her fault. That she had this coming. Yes. She most definitely deserved it. They reminded her that she was angry. Angry at herself.  _ Deeper.  _ At what she did. How dare she fall into Zhan Tiri’s trap?  _ Deeper.  _ Hurt her friends and family. Destroy her home.  _ Deeper.  _ All in the name of a pointless destiny that had caused nothing but hurt and sorrow. The deeper the cuts the better. If the Kingdom wasn’t going to punish her, then she would righteously do it for them. Yes. She deserved this. 

With her jaw and frown set, she tugged at her right sleeve, making sure it was rolled down all the way, and she wiped her hand at her face to clear the rivers that escaped the darkness of the shadows that had overtaken her face. With that, she went to awaken her companions. They would reach Corona by nightfall. 

-

*

-

Fidella had always been a cooperative horse. Patient as well. But this was getting ridiculous - even for her. They had packed up and left their camping sight in a haste, excited to be back home - at least she and Owl did. Cassandra, on the other hand, had slowed a significant amount - every move she made was laced with reluctancy. Now, there wasn’t much to do: they just had to clear the fire, put the blanket away along with a few other supplies, and they would be on the road. So the fact that Cass wasn’t much help didn’t faze them and they were back on track.

Cass didn’t stop there, however. Everytime now and again, she would pull on the reins, telling Fidella to slow down. Now, normally, she would have obeyed the command, but not today. All she would do is look to Owl, let up a huff, and continue with the same speed as before. The sooner they got back, the better. Cassandra needed to get back, especially if what she saw this morning had been any indication. 

She had woken up to Cass’s left hand, right arm hidden from sight - that wasn’t all. She noticed the way her right hand was balled into a fist and the way her arm was pressed against her side - not to mention the small blood stains that darkened the olive, green fabric of her tunic and the blood that was smudged on her light gray glove. She hadn’t pointed it out, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to do anything about it either. So she tried to speed the process of packing up and didn’t listen when Cass ordered her to slow down. Enough was enough. Cass needed help and would only get it in Corona - with her friends and her family. 

They would be home soon, much to her relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say, I've never written a story this long before, I'm more of an essay person. So when I say this is a challenge, this is a hell of a challenge, but I'm enjoying it ;) 
> 
> I apologize again for this chapter taking so long, my teachers have decided to pile work on us and no one knows what they're doing, which is always fun, but I guess that's highschool for ya :/ 
> 
> Like I said earlier, the other part of the chapter will be out later this week. However, the chapter after may not be out for a while for a couple of reasons: my school work and procrastination. I'm sorry loll. :)
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I didn't expect it to turn out like this tbh but there it is! I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe! Thank you to those that have commented, it's really encouraging and I appreciate it a lot. <3
> 
> As usual, thoughts, comments, and criticism welcome! Let me know what you think. Thank you so much for reading and see ya soon! <3


	5. All That Time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes. Sorry this took long! But here it is, enjoy! :)

It’s been four years since she’d last been there. Four years since she’d seen her friends. Her family. Four years since she had faced her mistakes.

It’s been four years. And after all that time.

She’s finally here. 

~

The sun had set long before they reached the outskirts of Corona; the rest of the road trip had come and gone without much trouble, a silence overtaking the travelers once again. They had arrived at Corona a little before midnight. But despite the moon making its way to its peak in the night sky, the Kingdom still found a way to radiate brightly. 

She sat on top of a hill, looking over the place she once called home as the water surrounding the kingdom glistened under the full moon’s glow. Her knees were bent in front of her, gloved hands behind her to support her weight. Trees surrounded her, long blades of grass brushing against her limbs as the midnight breeze flew by, fireflies providing a weak orange glow around her as the night paced on; a stoic, inconsolable look on her face. All looked calm, but an internal struggle plagued her, overtaking her thoughts. She felt... strange. 

On one hand, she was thrilled; she was finally back to the kingdom she once called home. She was sitting in the place she went to unwind for years. Growing up, she would come to rest in the very same area after a training session, it becoming her own secret hideout. She discovered it when she started mapping out the underground tunnels. She had fallen in love with it that second she emerged from the tunnel exit. It was hidden thanks to the trees that surrounded her but there was enough of a space where she could rest and gaze out to the sunset - a view that never seemed to disappoint - before she took the same tunnel to return… home. She tore her gaze away from the kingdom, her eyes hardening, and the memory washed away. 

_ Home.  _

She felt guilty, regretful. She didn’t belong here. After everything that she’d done? To her _home. To my family._ What had she gained from taking the moonstone? Hurt. Destruction. Anger. At the end of the day, she was still the one without a destiny - back where she started. Literally. She set out to find a destiny, only to come back empty handed. The thought hadn’t crossed her mind until now - the realization hitting her hard, her hand almost slipping out from underneath her, hazel eyes widening before turning to stone again. She _still_ hadn’t found her destiny. After four long years. _Still on square one._ _You fool. All of that for nothing._

“Ugh, what am I doing here?” Disappointed, she looked to her right hand then over to the place she had destroyed years ago and grimaced. Corona rested below, lanterns lighting up the abandoned streets from what she could see. The kingdom itself was rebuilt, seemingly untouched - as if nothing happened four years ago. The shops and bakeries were closed for the night. The lights in the houses shut off as families went to sleep. She sighed, sadness lacing her eyes. _Who am I kidding? They don’t want me here - they’re doing just fine without me._ She looked away. _I shouldn’t be here._ She stood up from her spot, wincing when she placed weight on her right hand, and turned away. How dare she show up after everything she’d done? Her injured hand ached dully and she curled it into a fist, frowning. She had jeopardized everyone’s life in that kingdom, and they had been gracious to let her go without so much of a warning. How dare she come back? They shouldn’t allow her return: she was a.. traitor. She looked at the gate of the kingdom from the corner of her eye. The kingdom wall stood tall - guards protecting the entry - _wait._

She turned on her heels, what she saw putting her in a state of surprise, snapping her out of her train of thought. The closer she looked, the more it looked like the guards were… asleep? No - that couldn’t be right. Her eyes widened, her frown deepening. Surely not. Surely her eyes were deceiving her. Never once in her  _ life _ had she seen any of the guards on duty  _ sleeping _ . Never. 

She took a step closer, hoping to catch more details. It turns out that she couldn’t even recognize who they were either. Her eyes narrowed. How didn’t she catch this earlier? Sure, it had been four years, but protecting the Kingdom’s gate wasn’t a job a new recruit would be assigned to in that time span and she was certain Max wouldn’t have allowed Eugene to stray too far off of protocol - even if he was the captain. A pang of jealousy seeped through, but she shoved it aside - now wasn’t the time, something wasn’t… right. 

_ What’s going on? _

The closer she got, the more she made out. Something else had caught her attention: there were guards all over the streets of Corona - one at almost every corner that she could make out. She stepped closer, squinting to see more; but, unfortunately, that was all she could gather from her viewpoint and she couldn’t risk being seen - not until something was cleared up. It was rare to have guards at every corner of the kingdom, in all of her life living in Corona that never happened, _ unless _ -

She looked around for Owl; she had to get to the bottom of this, but froze up. What was she doing? Snooping around? This place wasn’t her home anymore. They don’t need - or want - her. She returned her gaze to the kingdom. She had done enough damage. But… her gut was telling her something was up - and usually it was right - so maybe she should trust it now? Her eyes hardened and she continued her search for Owl finding him perched on a nearby branch, a knowing look in his eye.  _ He noticed it too, huh?  _ Her frown deepened and she lifted her arm out to him, giving into her gut feeling. Taking the hint, Owl flew over to her, accepting her invitation - determination crossing his features. When he landed on her arm, she brought him close, “Owl, I need you to circle around and let me know if there are  _ any  _ guards you recognize, okay?” With a confirming nod, Owl took off toward Corona, mission in mind and Cass watched him as he flew to the Kingdom. Owl had been training with her in the guard since she was eight, when they first met. And if there was anyone she entrusted with this task, it was him. With a nod of her own, she went over to Fidella, knowing it would only take her friend a couple of minutes to circle back to her and she needed to be ready. She didn’t know what she was going to do, but she knew that she had to figure out if something was going on. 

While she waited for Owl to come back, she kept an eye on the sleeping guards guarding the Kingdom’s gate. If her suspicions were correct, and if they wanted to get inside Corona, she would need them to stay asleep. 

~

Owl had returned shortly, a frown across his face. Cass extended her left arm out to him and he landed on her gloved wrist. She turned to him with a concerned look and he answered her previously asked question with a shake of his head. 

“Not a single guard?” he confirmed her suspicion with another shake of the head. Her brows furrowed, concern never leaving her face, and turned to look back at Corona, the moon light illuminating her features, “That’s not a good sign.” Cass brought a finger to her chin, biting her bottom lip; getting information would be the only way to confirm her to figure out what was going on and the only way to do it was to sneak in and ask the villagers - or into the castle. She froze for the second time that night. There couldn’t be one person in town that would even want to see her, let alone in the middle of the night. But she had to do something and figured that Xavier would be her best bet. Now, what that something is was going to be a different story - all she had to go off of was a gut feeling and a few details… still, though. What if something was going on? What if someone she loved was in trouble? Or hurt? She grimaced at the thought, but shook it off. She could be wrong, but there wouldn’t be any harm in making sure, would there? Her gut was nagging at her and she came to the conclusion that these conflicting thoughts had rattled her enough, so with a set jaw, she attempted to come up with a plan. 

From what she could see and from what Owl had told her, however, it seemed that the main area where Xavier lived was heavily guarded and she guessed that they would make a scene if she made her way through town in the middle of the night. Taking the underground tunnels would be the other option, but she would have no idea who would be on the other side. And there was no way she would have any chance with climbing the wall. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose - she didn’t have time to go through every option. If she was going to get inside, and if her suspicions were correct, her only chance to do so was while the guards at the gate were asleep. Her attention turned to them and she sighed.  _ I guess we have to go through the gate.  _ Determined, she set her hand down at her side and looked over to her companions.

“Okay, I doubt the guards will let us in if we wait until morning. So, we’ll have to go through the gate now, while the two powderpuffs are asleep.” she turned to Fidella, “You’ll have to stay here. We can’t risk waking them up. You okay with that?” Fidella nodded and Cass gave her a smile in response. “Okay, come on, Owl.” she looked back at her target. She had to say, she didn’t know what to expect when she came back, but it certainly wasn’t this.  _ Focus. _ Shoving those thoughts to the side, she grabbed a few necessities and placed them in her satchel.  _ There’s no time for that. _

She and Owl made their way to the entrance of the Kingdom, making sure to stay hidden behind the trees and bushes that surrounded the area, the full moon illuminating her way through. Cassandra kept a hovering hand on the handle of her sword, not knowing what would happen, her eyes wide and alert as Owl flew above her and scouted ahead, checking to see if the coast was clear.

Coming up to the gate, she could see the guards in more detail: they were slumped over on either side of the gate, their helmets covering the upper half of their faces, their hands barely gripping their weapons, quiet snores making their way through the midnight air. She rolled her eyes and slowly made her way past them, holding her breath as she did so.  _ If these are really guards under Eugene’s duty, I won’t let him hear the end of it.  _ Owl flew above, staying close and looking out for her. She tiptoed her way through the unattended gate, pausing when the wood beneath her foot creaked, eye widening - the guard to her left tensed, breath hitching, his grip on his halberd tightening. She drew her sword and turned her body to him in a semi-panicked motion. She stood still, ready to attack, for what seemed like forever. Eventually, he relaxed again, returning to his snoring as she put her weapon down, a relieved sigh escaping her own mouth.  _ That was close.  _ She made her way through the rest of the entrance and across the long bridge connecting it to the Kingdom.

____________________________________________________________________________

Crossing the gate and bridge was one thing, getting through town was another. There were guards everywhere - none of whom Cassandra recognized. As soon as she made her way into town she was forced to duck into an alleyway behind boxes and crates to remain unseen. She didn’t have a specific reason to stay hidden, but her gut was telling her it was best to lay low for now. So, Cass remained crouched behind a couple of stacked boxes - thinking of what to do from there.

She had to be honest, she didn’t really have a plan. So far, she had just been following what her instincts had been telling her. Now, usually she didn’t make choices based on her gut. Her father had taught her to always think things through before acting on instincts -  _ Dad.  _ She looked to the ground, and sat, bringing her knees in close. She hadn’t thought about him for a while and she missed him terribly. But, to be honest, she almost didn’t want to see him. She couldn’t imagine the amount of disappointment he had for her. They had left on good terms, but she doubted that he wouldn’t have a shred of disappointment in her. She was lost in her thoughts, wondering where her father was now. How he felt. About her. About what she’d done. He couldn’t possibly be happy with her. She looked to the ground. She hadn’t talked to him in four years. She should’ve but she was just so scared… 

“Hey!” 

A voice snapped her out of her thoughts. _ Crap.  _ Was he talking to her? She retooked her crouched position with a gloved hand gripping the handle of her sword, and looked over the side of the crates, flinching when she put weight on her right hand, and looking down to it -  _ right.  _

“What are you doing out?” the voice demanded her attention in the distance and she peered over the crates. Her eyes met a guard, a little taller than her, eyes and hair the same shade of brown, and he was accompanied by three others. They were standing over someone. It almost looked like -  _ Feldspar?  _ “I said, what are you doing out?” Feldspar was standing a couple of feet away from the guards, a satchel in his grip, eyes wide and shaking. Cassandra could see he was trying to answer but couldn’t make it past his stutter - fear overtaking him. And it was apparent that the guard’s patience was running low, it more evident when he suddenly grabbed Feldspar’s shirt, bringing him in close, and sweeping him off of his feet. “I’m gonna give you to the count of three to be back to where you’re supposed to be.” he smirked. “We wouldn’t want the King to find out that you were out after curfew for…” he grabbed the satchel with his other hand, “whatever is in here.” his grin disappeared and he threw Feldspar and his satchel forcefully to a pile of empty boxes nearby and held up a gloved finger, a menacing look plastered on his face. “One.” Despite the bruise that was appearing on the back of his head, Feldspar stood up in a haste, grabbing his satchel. “Two.” He didn’t need to be told twice. The shoe maker ran. He ran as fast as his scrawny legs could take him, whimpers echoing off the buildings around him. Cassandra was shocked - surprised even. _ What is going on?  _ “Three.” and with that, Feldspar was gone, out of site. Cass let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and returned behind the stack of crates, leaning on the wall. She so desperately wanted to jump out and punch the bastard, but there was one of her and over twenty guards around at the moment. She couldn’t take the chance. But she needed answers now more than ever. 

Looking over the crates again, she noticed that the previous guards went back to their posts and took the opportunity to ducked into another alley - a goal now in mind: to get as far away from the guards as she could get. From what Owl told her when she was making her way into the Kingdom as he circled around, it seemed that the farther she got from the castle, the more dispersed the guards had gotten. So she figured that her best bet was to get closer to Old Corona. Silently thanking the moon for it’s light, she made her way through the alleyways to her new destination - at least that was her plan. 

She was about half of the way there. The households were more dispersed and it was getting harder and harder to stay hidden in the pathways - the moon slowly starting to set. She stopped, hiding once again behind a tower of crates, when she foolishly allowed herself to rest. She was in the process of masking herself in the shadows of stray crates when- 

“What the hell are you doing?” She cursed under her breath. She was lucky enough that the first time the comment was said that night it wasn’t directed towards her. She was lost in thought and had no idea what was going on. Not to mention there were guards aplenty. This time, however, Cass had not been so lucky; the comment was definitely directed towards her. She turned around and was met with a single guard. He stood tall, halberd in hand, taking an ominous step toward her. 

But that’s not to say that all her luck had run out. She was alone in the alleyway, sure. But so was he. There were about four other guards in the whole area -  _ eh I’ve dealt with worse.  _ A pang of guilt briefly hit her but she brushed it aside. Walking towards him, Cass put her hands in front of her, surveying the area for leverage.  _ There.  _

“Relax, I was only… doing this!” with a swift motion, she unsheathed her sword and jumped on a pile of boxes to the side. Taking the butt of her sword, she smashed it on the back of his head before he could have a chance to turn around or react. With a loud  _ clunk, _ the guard fell to his knees, his chest and head colliding with the dirt, creating a clattering sound thanks to his armor.  _ Man, that felt good.  _ His grip on his halberd loosened but before it could create another disturbance, Cassandra grabbed it and smiled. She couldn’t help it - it had been a while since she had held one. Quickly setting it down, she surveyed her area - thinking she was alone once again. She was wrong. When she turned around she saw two guards at the entrance, their swords drawn. 

“What was that?!” she wasn’t going to stick around however. She hid behind the same boxes she jumped off of and peered over the edges, waiting for the perfect time to duck into the neighboring alleyway. “Oi, look over there! Liam?” the pair ran over to the fallen man, shaking him by the shoulders. “Hey, wake up!”  _ Now.  _ With them preoccupied, Cass took the opportunity to slip from behind the crates and basked in the shadows of the neighboring buildings. 

She almost made it to the other alleyway but nothing seemed to go as planned tonight. “There! Hey, stop!”  _ Ugh, great.  _ She took that as her que to run. Before she had been careful - not wanting to get caught, but they were now chasing her, and she threw the thought out the window - knocking over crates and debris to block their path. Cass had been lucky enough that there were only a few of them chasing after her and ducked into the alley way, thinking she had lost them, only to find another pair of guards greeting her.  _ Nevermind, I guess there are more than a few.  _ So she turned a corner and found an open house door in the distance. If she wanted to escape them, she was going to have to hide out until they got lost. The idea didn’t sit well, but she didn’t have time for morals with who knows how many guards were on her tail. She wouldn’t stay in the home of course, just long enough for them to give up. And with that her mind was made up. She sharply cut another corner and made her way to the door- carefully taking a hold of the handle, peering inside. It was dark and nobody seemed around from what she could see. She hated to do it but -

“She went this way!”  _ Okay, yeah, no.  _ With that, she opened the door enough to slip inside and closed it as gently as she could without making noise. She let out a sigh of relief when the guards ran past.  _ Idiots.  _ She rolled her eyes and observed her surroundings - looking out a nearby window. She hadn’t realized but the sun was now beginning to make its way over the horizon, golden yellow rays piercing through the night. 

Still facing the door, she released her grip from the door handle - only now realizing how much her right hand ached from the pressure. She brushed her left hand over her right arm, sadness seeping into her, her frown never leaving.  _ I’ll bandage it later.  _ She was about to look for Owl, but froze when she heard footsteps behind her - a deep voice calling out her name.

“Cassandra?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed that, again sorry that took long. 
> 
> Don't know when the next chapter will be up. I don't finish school until June so my schedule is packed- haven’t been feeling too much like myself as of late either. I'll try my best though. :)
> 
> As always, questions, thoughts, comments, and criticism welcome, lmk what you think. See y'all in a bit and thank you all for reading! <3


	6. Never Even Knowing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes, this took a while, sorry about that. This chapter did not want to be written, it was difficult to get the ball rolling. But it did, and here's the end result.  
> Hope you all enjoy! It's gonna be a bit of a rollercoaster..

The former Captain of the Guard didn’t know what to expect that morning, but it sure wasn’t this. 

He awakened with the intention to go on his routine stroll around the village he now lived in. He had gotten up, washed, and dressed in his usual outfit, the sun now making its way over the vast horizon and into his room, coloring it a delicate shade of yellow. 

He walked over to his bed where his satchel hung from the wooden post and swung it over his shoulder, opening the latch to check his belongings inside it. And with an affirmative nod, he was ready to go - pacing towards his bedroom door. 

Except for one thing. 

He stopped, shifting his gaze to the wooden bedside table not far from where he stood. Specifically to a golden picture frame, the rays of the rising dawn create a glare on the glass, a shine outlining the golden edges. 

How could he forget? 

His shadow loomed over the picture, blocking all light, as he made his way over to the cherished image. His fingertips smudge the glass of the frame as he picks it up, his attachment to the sentimental item growing with each day his daughter is out finding her destiny. 

He looks at it, fingers brushing the face of her in the image - a wistful smile plastered on his face. He and Cassandra are holding each other, his arm around her shoulders, hers around his torso in a hug. Smiles adorn their faces after being reunited with each other at last, her olive tunic complimenting his red shirt. 

He always starts his day off with looking at the image - the sight managing to brighten his mood time and time again. Besides, he couldn’t resist seeing her smile after all that she’d gone through - after all that he had put her through. Even if it was through a picture. He brings the frame close to his chest and closes his eyes, reminiscing the memories they had shared before she took off on her journey. 

He missed her more than she’d ever know. 

But his brows drew together in concern when he looked to the picture again, at his daughter - her departure was ...strange. Now, that goes without saying. He knew she wouldn’t be the same person she was before her venture to the Dark Kingdom and her.. betrayal. Of course, she would be different, but she worried him nonetheless. 

When they reunited, she was distant, pensive, and would flinch when he (or anyone for that matter) would snap her out of her thoughts - a bleak, inconsolable look in her eyes. She’d spend so much time alone in her room, staring at the damage her black rocks had caused to her possessions from the edge of her bed and would tense when someone touched her, crouching defensively when someone came up from behind her. Or, at least that’s what happened to him.

~

_ He was in bed, laying on his back, staring at the ceiling of his room in the castle. The former captain couldn’t bring himself to sleep, not believing she was back… not believing she was leaving him again so soon. He shifted to his side, comfort not coming to him. And unfortunately, his thoughts did nothing to help him in the matter either. So he decided he would go find Cassandra, not wanting to waste these last few hours without his daughter. He didn’t even know when, or if, she would return from her journey - she hadn’t said. He accepted her decision with resignation, knowing that she needed it. But, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to spend every waking moment with her. So he ventured to her room. _

_ Approaching her door, he noticed it was cracked open, but thought nothing of it. He held the door knob and knocked, calling out her name in a hushed whisper. There wasn’t an answer. He waited before trying again but was met with the same silence as before.  _

_ Curious, he opened the door and peered inside, expecting to find Cassandra fast asleep under her covers with Owl at the windowsill, but instead he was met with an empty bed and his heart skipped a beat. Where was she? He couldn’t lose her again. He stepped into the room and looked around - what he found doing nothing to calm his already frayed nerves.  _

_ The room was a wreck: her cabinet was ruined, an empty void replacing where the black rocks once impaled it and wooden pieces scattered the area. The fireplace was empty safe for a few pieces of wood, the bricks that made it up now cracked - the whole structure looking precarious. The floor was cracked and scathed. And there were loose weapons around the room, shattering various objects he knew his daughter cherished. His face fell further and he stepped out of the room shaking his head. The site was too much for him, being it was the first time he had seen it and he set off into the castle hoping to find his daughter - a pang of guilt of his own growing in his gut, knowing that this all was partially his fault…  _

_ With a set jaw, he shook his head - a goal in mind: finding his daughter. He had an idea as to where she might be, but he asked the guards if they had seen her to confirm his suspicions. _

_ With an inconspicuous glare from the guard he was pointed in the right direction and went to go find her, but not before fixing the guard with a glare of his own. With the satisfaction of seeing him tense, the former captain was off to the Royal Garden. _

_ - _

_ It was beautiful out. The moon was a shining crescent with numerous stars accompanying it - painting the sky - the light highlighting the dew on the castle flowers, allowing them to shine and glimmer as he strolled past them. The faint sound of crickets in the background easing his nerves briefly. Fireflies glide past him, their orange glow illuminating leaves and petals around them.  _

_ But his focus was elsewhere.  _

_ There, sitting at the edge of a bench deep within the garden, was a figure - hidden by the shadow of the tree behind it. Their head was propped up in their hands, elbows on their knees, shoulders hunched forward, back to him, their attention on the glistening water in front of the bench, seemingly lost in thought.  _

_ A breeze shifts the branches of the tree, allowing the moonlight to escape through, breaking the shadow looming over the figure. It highlights her features for brief moments and the former captain recognizes her immediately. Relief washes over him and he starts to walk up behind her. But she doesn’t notice his approach until it’s too late. He puts a hand on her shoulder and she tenses, snapping out of her daze and stands up from her place, whirling around to meet her stranger - brusquely knocking his hand off of her shoulder.  _

_ He puts his hands up in front of himself defensively and shifts back, a surprised gasp escaping his lips. He sees her relax upon recognizing the former captain and she brings her balled fists to her side, regret washing over her as her scowl melts away. She takes her place on the bench once again and sighs pensively - holding herself securely while greeting him, her shoulders falling further than they had before as he accompanies her on the bench. The guilty feeling returning to both of them once more.  _

_ “Hey, Dad.”  _

_ ~ _

Although the smile adorning her face in the picture near to him was natural and calm, the smiles she had displayed before her departure were anything but. While she put on a brave face, he noticed the way the derisive stares she got made her shoulders tense and steps quicken as they made to leave the castle behind for the last time. He shakes his head at the memories and looks back at the image. 

His smile falters, a frown struggling to make its way to his face, and he puts the picture back in its place on the wooden table, taking mental note of the smudges on the glass as he turns away to the door. 

He pauses midway through the door before looking over his shoulder - taking one last glance at the framed picture, a beam of nostalgia finding its place easily on his face once again. Resuming his walk out of his room to go on his stroll, a consoling thought brought him to ease - as it always does.

At least she left on a good note.

He closes his bedroom door and walks out to the front entrance. That is until his gaze falls on a figure with their back to him and their hands on his front door. Suspecting it a thief, he quickly takes out a knife from his satchel with the intention of scaring them away. 

But he hesitates. 

The blinding light coming from the windows illuminated the stranger’s features. And dare he say the person at his door looked... familiar? Their olive tunic, black wavy hair, mismatched gloves, the sword on their back -

He dropped his knife, eyes widening, her name slipping out of his mouth before he could think… 

____________________________________________________________________________

“Cassandra?”

She flinched at the sound of the voice behind her, eyes widening. 

Her heart ached at the realization of who was calling her name. And at that moment, she forgot what she was even doing here in the first place, her head spinning in consternation. 

It couldn’t be. Of all the houses in Corona, she ended up here.  _ In this very house _ . With one of the many people she wanted to avoid the most. 

But here she was - here he was, a couple of feet behind her and there was nothing she could do about it. Shaking her head, she pinched the bring of her nose incredulously. She couldn’t believe it. 

She wanted to get out of there. She would rather face ten guards than him right now - having half the mind to swing the door in front of her wide open and run off, certain that she could find a way to blend into the crowding streets. A part of her wanting nothing to do with him. 

But she couldn’t move, the other part of her longing for the sense of safety she would always feel around her father; wanting nothing more than to run into his arms, telling him how much she had missed him. 

But she wouldn’t - couldn’t. Pushing the thought away. 

“Cassandra, is... that you?” 

Her left hand held her right arm, tensing at his voice. She hadn’t heard it in four years and the fact that it was booming a couple of feet behind her made her fingers tremble, a cold sweat forming under her gloves. 

She wasn’t ready to face him. Not yet, at least. She’s frozen, her back still to the person calling her name, eyes widening - worn out. Hesitant footsteps made their way to her - his presence inching closer and closer. And with each footstep that tapped the wooden floor beneath it, she stiffened even more. 

His voice triggered memories - ones she dreaded remembering for the past couple of years, memories that had plagued her waking and sleeping moments. Regardless, they played in front of her in flashes:  _ greyed clouds dulled the atmosphere around her, an alleyway covered in black spikes surrounded them, clanking sounds echo in her ears of two striking swords: one silver, one made of the very same black rocks that scattered the area. Silver shards of the destroyed weapon give off muted shines from the ground around the fallen soldier, the gold of his armor now scuffed from the collision it had endured, and a wall of rocks - fallen in consequent of her own doing - flash before her as she makes her way over the edge of a wall - her judgement clouded with a seething anger towards her father, leaving him to fend for himself. The words he spat out earlier cut into her - doing nothing to alleviate her ire, an echo resonating in her ears: “Cassandra, NO!” And she skulks behind a wall, leaving the predecessor of the guard behind.  _

Waves of regret crash into her with each recalled image and they send shivers down her spine that make her heart ache and her head spin - putting a hand to her forehead in an attempt to calm herself.

And as quickly as they come, the images dissipate - leaving behind a familiar numbing anger- only this time, towards herself, reminiscent of what she had felt years ago. Reminding her of what she had done. Reminding her that she was a fool. She allowed herself to be used and, in the process, the ones she loved have been hurt because of it. And it was her fault. 

_ “Surrender.”  _

The word overtakes her thoughts; his voice echoing in her ears as she brings her hands down to her sides, curling them into fists. The word stinging her more than she thought it would. Her father could have died because of her. The only family she had, and she left him behind a tower of boulders - not knowing or caring what would happen to him. She doesn’t even know how he had managed to escape. How long it took. If he had gotten hurt… because of her. 

She just left him behind. 

A lone tear escaped - staining her pale cheek.

A newly added weight to her left snaps her out of her thoughts and she looks at it from the corner of her eye, meeting a bare hand gripping her shoulder tightly, a slight tremble to it as if afraid to let go. It tugs at her, urging her to turn around. And she complies with resignation, allowing the hand to guide her, not knowing what else she could do at the moment. 

She bit her lip - she wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready to face him, not after what she had put him through. Not after everything she’d done. But it didn’t matter. She found herself face to face with the old man in a matter of seconds, her gaze to the floor, ashamed - her breath hitching and her legs ready to bunkle beneath her. 

“Dad.” 

____________________________________________________________________________

It was her. He couldn’t believe it. His daughter was right here in front of him. 

His thoughts raced as the result of the long awaited proximity between him and his daughter - his heart thumping in his chest.  _ Why was she here? How did she find me? How did she get in? _

“It’s really you…” but she doesn’t answer him, her gaze fixated on the floor, hands around herself. Dark bangs cover hazel eyes uncharacteristically and he places his other hand under her chin, raising her head up to meet his worried gaze - parting her signature bang to the side. What was wrong? Why wasn’t she answering him? Goodness, he had missed seeing her smile and wanted nothing more than to see it again in person. 

But what he sees instead breaks his heart in two. 

Little scratches and bruises paint the sides of her face. Her rosy lips are chapped and slightly swollen, teeth marks imbedded into them. Her cheekbones are now more defined than what they were before she left. And she looked as if she hadn’t slept in days, the color of her eyes a muted hazel, her lids occasionally fluttering before being forced open again. Dark circles contrast the paleness of her skin and deep bags accompany them. A lone tear stains her cheek and she averts her gaze the best she could, barely meeting his. There’s a light tremble to her legs - as if they’re struggling to keep her on her feet and her shoulders are tensed under his grip and he softens upon the realization, turning hesitant - a pang of disquietude and hurt hitting him. 

And if it was even possible, his thoughts raced faster.  _ Why was she crying? Is she okay? Why did she look like that? Did someone do this to her? Why was she here? Was it because… but she’s supposed to be out there, finding her destiny. Fulfilled. Happy. Not disconsolate.  _

He was thrilled to see her and wanted to catch up - the former captain was just hoping that it would’ve been under different circumstances. Maybe without the kingdom falling and her forlorn condition…  _ Maybe she heard? Had word gotten out? Maybe she was here to help?  _

But as much as he wanted to talk to her about what was going on, his focus was elsewhere; her demeanor preeminent to him than anything at the moment - his worry for her escalating with every new detail the dawning sun highlighted. W _ hy does she look like that? Did someone hurt her?  _ His gaze hardens ever so slightly. 

_ Cassandra, what’s wrong? _

Here she was, in his arms. Upset. And distant yet again. Her hands around herself semblance to her demeanor in the Royal Garden before she left Corona - not far from becoming a shadow of the formidable warrior he knew her to be.

He had only seen her this... vulnerable twice in her life - both times had left him heartbroken. 

And this time, he couldn’t help and feel partly responsible. Afterall, he knew that he had deprived her of her dream and the truth of who her mother was. And he knew the damage had gone further than what she had let on for years. 

He had hurt her and the proof was right there in front of him. 

He brings a hand to her cheek and wipes the tear away for her with his thumb, his brows drawing together in concern. He tries for her again. For something. Anything. Her silence was deafening. 

“Cassandra, please… ” 

She flinches under his touch and finally meets his eyes, her lips drawn in a line, brows furrowing, before looking away again, tightening her hold on her arms in affliction. And after another minute of turmoil, she says something that, if it weren’t for the quiet that had overtaken them, he wouldn’t have caught it - catching the former captain off guard. 

“I’m sorry.” 

_ What?  _

“What?” but he doesn’t have a chance to say anything else, his moment of shock robbing him from the opportunity. Cassandra shifts her head to the side and steps away from him, making her way to the door in a hurry. She takes the doorknob in her hand and makes to leave. 

But he won’t let her. Not after all this time.  _ Not again.  _

The former captain takes a step toward her and grips her right wrist before she could have the chance to walk out of the house - contemplating what she had just told him. 

He knew what she was talking about, but to him, she didn’t have anything to apologize for anymore. She gave out more than her fair share of apologies before she left Corona and he and her friends had forgiven her. But that fact that she was here, like this, apologizing again… well, it made it painfully obvious to him that she hadn’t forgiven herself yet. 

Yes, her actions had hurt at the time - traumatized him even - but he knew his daughter. She would never willingly hurt him on a whim - not on her own, at least. He knew the demon was messing with her, digging a hole to push his daughter in. She was hurting and vulnerable and Zhan Tiri had preyed on her because of it. His lips draw back into a scowl, the thought alone was infuriating - making him want nothing more than to protect his daughter from any harm that may come her way. 

But, he couldn’t help but blame himself for hurting her as well. Infact, apologies on his part were overdue and she wasn’t going anywhere without knowing that… he was sorry too. 

And for that reason, he opted to hold onto his daughter for however long it took. He wouldn’t let her go. Not without making this right - the thought making his grip tauten around her gloved wrist with determination. 

Lucky for her, the dimmed light kept him from noticing the splotches of blood that ran up her sleeve. What didn’t go unnoticed, however, was the way she winced under his grip, her lips drawing back in a grimace and how she sucked in a breath through her clenched teeth - only causing his concern for his daughter to grow. He released his grip so as to not hurt her,  _ but why did she.. _ .

They stay in that position for a few seconds before the former captain tugs at Cassandra’s wrist again and brings her into a hug - a gasp coming from her in the process. And he holds her, time ceasing to exist for the Captain as he held her in his arms. He could feel her tense before finally relaxing in his embrace, bringing her arms around him - holding him tight. And they stay like that for a while, enjoying each other's company after so long, a consented silence overtaking the home. That is before the captain broke it. 

“I’m sorry too.” 

She tenses again and he feels her heart race and her breath hitches. She lifts her head and leans back to face him - opening her mouth before closing it again in confusion. Opting to look down, a frown makes its way on her face and she sighs - shaking her head. 

“Dad, no. You don’t have anything to apologize for, I - ”

“No, Cassandra. I do.” his hands fall to his side, breaking the embrace, and he averts his gaze to the floor. “I was unfair to you, I kept you from so many things. I kept you from your dream. I held you back and I… I didn’t have faith in you. All because I was scared. You’ve tried to make me proud so many times, and I was blind to it. I denied you the one thing you asked for,” he places his hand on the strap of his satchel, the other balling into a fist at his side, tears welling up in his eyes, “I should’ve trusted you, Cassandra. I should’ve had faith in you. I should’ve given you a chance.” he takes a deep breath before continuing, “I wanted to protect you, but I ended up hurting you instead.” he looks back to her and puts his hands on her shoulders. “I’m so sorry.” And he goes back into the hug they shared earlier, holding onto his daughter, afraid of letting go. 

He feels her return to the embrace hesitantly, tears of his own fall from him and he tightens his hold. She had gone through so much. And she was still hurting.

He wouldn’t fail her this time.

But the embrace doesn’t last long, and Cassandra pulls away from it - turning her back to her father before another word could be said. She places her arms around herself protectively before taking a hand and wiping her the tears away, an anger stubbornly seeping through. 

He wasn’t supposed to be the one saying sorry.  _ She  _ was the one that hurt him.  _ She  _ was the one that left him behind a tower of rocks.  _ She  _ disappointed him. She betrayed him. It was her fault.  _ She didn’t deserve his apology.  _

A hand goes to her forehead, fatigue from the lack of sleep catching up to her - leaving her legs weak and head dizzy. The emotional rollercoaster doing nothing to aid her, leaving her eyes fluttering to stay awake. But she pushed it down. 

“Dad,  _ I’m  _ the one who hurt you.  _ I’m  _ the one who disappointed you-” she doesn’t finish, interrupted by a pair of hands taking her arms and turning her around again. She’s met with a look of distress from her father - her head spinning more. 

“You’ve never disappointed me, Cassandra. Never.” 

“But, Dad. I -” what she said next came out in a whisper, curling her hands into fists, “ _ I hurt you. _ ” Why didn’t he get that? She fought with him. Disarmed him. Kicked him. She could’ve  _ killed _ him. How had she not disappointed him? 

All she is met is with a sigh from the older man and his hold on her tightens. “I know.” she looks up to him and tries to wiggle out of his grip. She wanted to get out of there, but she knew he wouldn’t let her. “I know you hurt me, Cassandra and what you did, well, it was a big deal.” his brows draw further together, “But, I hurt you too. I did wrong by you and, well… I wasn’t being the greatest of fathers either.” he pauses before continuing - thinking of what to say next. He needed to get through to her, “And I knew that it wasn’t you. You were being manipulated and made questionable decisions, but it wasn’t  _ you.  _ And the fact that you’re beating yourself up over it,” he looked at her again, fatigued etched into her face and she softens at his glance, “it’s enough to tell me that you didn’t mean it either. You’re my daughter, Cassandra. You always will be. I can’t hold something like this against you forever. I love you, hun. I- I know I don’t say it enough, but I do. And seeing you like this tears me up inside. Please,” he makes eye contact with her and his gaze hardens, “you can’t keep beating yourself up over this.”

_ What wasn’t he getting? _ Her knuckles turn white and she shuts her eyes tightly, becoming vexed at the fact that her tears are returning. She was frustrated, his words felt undeserving. Didn’t he see-

“It doesn’t change anything, Dad! It doesn’t change what I did. To you. To Rapunzel, Varian, Eugene. I destroyed this place! My home. Hurt all of you.” She feels tears well up, but this time she lets them fall freely, her outburst continuing, “No matter how much I was under the influence of Zhan Tiri,  _ I  _ was the one that chose to cause all of this. It was all  _ my fault  _ and I don’t deserve your forgiveness! Dad -” but she couldn’t continue. Her fatigue finally caught up and her legs buckled. She hid her face in her hands, clear droplets falling off her chin. Her father’s grip on her arms softened the fall - he held her up the best he could as they both made their way to the floor. And once safely seated in front of her, the former captain embraces her again, allowing her to cry freely into his shoulder, what she says coming out in whispers, “I just wanted to make you proud, Dad.”

He holds her close to him - his daughter letting out years of repressed emotions. His heart broke for her, but he was relieved that she finally shared what had bothered her. He shook his head and looked down at her dark, unkempt hair as she shook in his arms .  _ If only she knew.  _

They stay in their embrace for what seemed like an eternity - neither of them minding the silence that had settled in, finding comfort with each other that they had longed for after four long years, their hearts on their sleeves. Her cries died down and her father’s consoling hand rubbed her back as she calmed - her mind blank, peaceful, and quiet for the first time in what seemed like forever. 

The sun has made its way to its peak, the streets outside now crowded with villagers going about their day before the former captain spoke again, “Oh, Cassandra. I was always proud of you.” staying in the embrace, he leaned back looking at his daughter as he spoke - placing a hand on her cheek again, “And I always will be. Don’t ever forget that.” 

A small smile made its way to her lips, his words comforting her, and the sight of seeing his daughter soften again brought a grin of his own. “Thanks, Dad.” and she placed her head on his chest again, a sudden tiredness taking over her. She let eyes flutter closed, relaxing further into the sense of safety of her father's arms for the first time in years. “I’ve missed you.” 

And the last thing she heard before falling into a slumber is her father’s reassurance, “I’ve missed you too, more than you’ll know. I love you, Cassandra” and a kiss on the top of her head sends her into the realm of sleep with a small smile etched on her face.

"I love you too, Dad."  



	7. Things Fall Apart I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait. 
> 
> Enjoy

_ An all too familiar darkness surrounded Cassandra- blanketing everything in a sea of black. The sounds of falling droplets echoed endlessly around the empty space.  _

_ She stood alone and usually she’d have nothing but her roaming thoughts to accompany her. But for once, they were quiet and she was grateful.  _

_ A welcomed emptiness settled into her chest; the tightness that was once there was now relieved from the strain it had endured for what seemed like forever. And with the comfort of knowing her thoughts were at bay, her gaze shifted around the void that had engulfed her once again - taking in her surroundings.  _

_ That was when she noticed a sparkle from the corner of her eye.  _

_ Beams of light from behind a sort of barrier reached her feet and her gaze followed the newly found intensity to them, the light highlighting the silver of her armor - a shine blinding her momentarily. Blinking, she followed the rays back to their source, her eyes adjusting to the piercing of the darkness.  _

_ That’s when she found herself moving towards the barrier. Almost as if she was looking for something- or rather, someone. The closer Cassandra got, however, the more she felt dread seeping into her. _

_ A gray door, rounded at the top, with silver metal outlining its perimeter, materialized in front of her.  _

_ The realization that the door was the same one she entered in The House of Yesterday’s Tomorrow dawned on her and the tightness in her chest returned. Her mind screamed at her to stop - to retreat to the safety of the emptiness she was reluctantly leaving behind - but she couldn’t. Her path was fixated on the rays of light that escaped the crevices of the door, her curiosity reminiscent of what she felt the first time she ever entered the door in search of Rapunzel.  _

_ Before Cass knew it, the door was towering in front of her. And when it swung open, an intense light overtook everything around her. _

_ The glare subsided and was replaced with a mystic greenery. Parting fog escaped to the trees and fireflies replaced them instead - illuminating the tree trunks a dimmed gold. As calming as the scene seemed, it did nothing for Cass - her heart racing faster with each breeze that graced her cheek, her eyes widening and alert with each new detail that made itself known by the parting fog. Deception painted the façade of calm in front of her. And she wanted none of it.  _

_ But before Cassandra could go through the door again, it disintegrated into dust and was swept away in the wind; leaving nothing behind to indicate its presence was there in the first place.  _

_ That was when footsteps materialized behind Cass and a childlike voice called out to her - her name echoing off the trees. It was a voice she dreaded hearing. One Cass wished she could forget.  _

_ ‘Not again, please.’ _

_ Instinctively, Cassandra swung her hand over her shoulder for her sword, but found it missing. So in an attempt to block out the voice resonating around her, she moved her hands over her pounding ears and squeezed her eyes shut. But her attempt was in vain and the ancient demon’s words were heard despite her efforts.  _

_ “There you are, Cassandra. I’d nearly given up on you.”  _

_ At the encounter, Cassandra brought her hands down and whirled around to meet the demon addressing her, venom lacing her words, her glare poisoned with every ounce of hatred for the demon she could muster.  _

_ “Get away from me.” She wasn’t going to fall for her tricks this time. A scowl etched its way to Cassandra’s face, but she faltered when all she was met with was a sickening smile from the demon - reluctantly taking a step back as the blue ghost floated towards her.  _

_ “But, I’m a friend. Or at least, I’d like to be.”  _

_ Cassandra crouched down defensively, cynicism racing through her veins - the way it should be.  _

_ The way it should’ve been when she first met the demon.  _

_ “You’re no friend of mine. Get the hell away, we… we defeated you.” The older woman pointed an accusing finger, disgust seething through every word that cut into the quiet of the greenery around the pair. The nonchalant laughter that followed had been one Cassandra had heard many times, but no matter how often it haunted her, she never got used to it. She took another step back.  _

_ “Oh? Did you really?” Zhan Tiri moved forward again - her comment freezing Cassandra in place. Cass’s brows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and fear.  _

_ “What do you mean?”  _

_ The demon floated to the side and lifted a hand, a smile that could only be described as pure evil on her face as she directed her attention to the distance.  _

_ “See for yourself.” _

_ Every inch of her body protested, but eventually, Cassandra followed Zhan Tiri’s gaze, turning around to the scene behind her.  _

_ She wished she hadn’t.  _

_ Black rocks pierced the greenery around her. Fireflies retreated to the forests and the light that once shone brightly from the sun was now conquered by the moon's betrayal. Rays escaped the moon’s grasp, hence the dimmed, orange hue that painted the land.  _

_ In the distance, Corona was in ruins. The castle half gone. The towers that once stood strong overlooking the kingdom were now compromised in the wind, debris falling from the tops of what remained of the structures.  _

_ But what made Cassandra’s heart stop was the figure that lay on the ground not too far from where she stood. Black rocks pierced her body, scarlet rivers contrasting the blue hues that shined between the drops cascading down the sharp tips of the rocks. Long, brown hair pooled around the still women, stained and dirtied with blood and dirt - her purple dress falling victim to the same condition.  _

_ Cassandra recognized her right away.  _

_ “Raps… no, no, no.” Cassandra ran toward her fallen friend, kneeling down as soon as she got to her. Cass reached for her but stopped when she noticed the blue glove covering her burnt hand and the black suit that covered the rest of her body.  _

_ ‘Oh no.’ _

_ She looked down to her chest, a familiar blue glow pulsating brighter than she had ever seen it. She grabbed strands of hair, only to see that the fluorescent blue color had overtaken her locks as well.  _

_ Her eyes widened and panicked breaths quickened through her clenched teeth as she began to hallucinate. This couldn’t be happening. _

_ ‘Not again’ _

_ Movements from the princess -ones that would’ve been barely noticeable if not for the proximity- snapped Cassandra out of her panic. A groan escaped Rapunzel’s paled lips and Cassandra looked back to her fallen friend as life left her with every red drop that pooled beneath their feet. Her vision blurred as tears began to pile.  _

_ “Rapunzel!”  _

_ Cassandra tried to reach her again but before she could, the ground underneath her shook and another puncturing rock separated her and Rapunzel, forcing Cassandra back to where Zhan Tiri had been watching, amused.  _

_ “Oh, the poor dear. Look at what you’ve done, Cassandra.” She said, her expression mocking and unforgiving. _

_ “What? No, I didn’t- ”  _

_ “But, you did.” She pointed to where Rapunzel’s still body laid.  _

_ … _

_ “I did this?” _

_ The silence she got was the only answer she got as s _ _ he fell to her knees and looked down at her chest, tears falling freely at this point.  _

_ What had she done? _

_ Rapunzel.  _

_ Cass looked back to where the princess had perished and, without a second to spare, struggled to her feet and tried with all her might to rip the stone from her chest.  _

_ She wanted it as far away from her as possible. _

_ But with each tug, with each pull, nothing but pain coursed through her body and the opal remained in its place regardless of her efforts. With one last grunt, Cassandra fell to her knees again, catching her breath as her hands finally fell to her side.  _

_ Why wouldn’t it give? _

_ Laughter erupted from the demon and Cass looked over at her with defeated eyes.  _

_ “Enough with these futile attempts. It’s time to fulfill your destiny.”  _

_ She frowned. “What are you saying?”  _

_ Zhan Tiri‘s smile turned psychotic, her pupils shrinking, “Destroy the Sundrop. Embrace your destiny, fulfill OUR destiny and destroy Corona.” _

_ Cassandra jerked to her feet unsteadily and backed away from the demon, “We don’t have a destiny together. I won’t do it.” _

_ “But you don’t have a say in the matter. The damage is done. You chose this.” She pointed to the ruins around her, “You did this, Cassandra. And now, you must finish what you’ve started.” _

_ “This- this isn’t my destiny. I didn’t want this. You- You tricked me.” Her voice faltered, a pleading tone taking hold of her words. But Zhan Tiri wouldn’t relent. _

_ “Yet, you did it anyway. You knew what you were doing was wrong, but here we are. You betrayed Rapunzel. You destroyed Corona, took the moonstone.” Zhan Tiri inched closer, her words cutting into the girl. “Who’s really to blame here?” _

_ Cass couldn’t answer and stopped moving altogether. Of course she knew the answer - how couldn’t she? But admitting it to the demon would hurt more than it already did. So, instead, she resumed her previous endeavor, trying to tear the stone from her chest once again. She couldn’t do this to Rapunzel. She didn’t want to do this. She refused.  _

_ Not again. _

_ Zhan Tiri lifted a hand and snapped and, before Cassandra knew what was happening, the scene shifted and she was standing in the middle of a battling Corona.  _

_ Screams filled the air. Rubble flew. Villagers ran. Yellow and black rocks formed cages, trapping people inside. The ground shook from the invasions of the foreign rocks that now scattered the kingdom anywhere you turned. And there Cass was, standing in the middle of it all as the moonstone pulsated from her chest and spikes erupted left and right. _

_ Her breath quickened, panic overtaking her once again. This was her fault, her doing -  _

_ A cry caught her attention not too far from where she stood and she turned in its direction.  _

_ What she saw breaking her heart more than it already had been.  _

_ Eugene knelt in front of Rapunzel's still figure, holding her in his arms. His uniform was tattered, deep cuts covering his body, but it was the least of his concern as he called for Rapunzel.  _

_ “Sunshine?” Nothing.  _

_ “Blondie?” Nothing.  _

_ “Rapunzel!” Still. His cries fell on deaf ears.  _

_ Her breath caught in her throat and she made her way over to the couple, tears staining her cheeks.  _

_ When she was in close proximity, Eugene spun around with a glare that could kill, tears of his own falling from his face. _ __

_ “You.” His voice was low and threatening. “How could you?” He took a step toward her, and she mirrored his movements. The way he spoke to her was unlike anytime he had in the past. His words cut like a knife. And despite all the noise surrounding them, his voice was the only one she could hear. _

_ “Eugene, I-” _

_ “How could you do this to her? After all she’s done for you!” _

_ She… never wanted this to happen.  _

_ “I’m so sor-” but she was interrupted, startled as Eugene closed the distance between them and gripped her arm tightly. He held Cass’s gaze for what seemed like forever to her. His expression was only one she could describe as pure hatred, one Cass had never seen him express towards anyone. His grip tightened and his eyes narrowed before whispering to her, “You’re just like Gothel.”  _

_ Her blood ran cold at the mention of her mother and she froze as he threw her arm from his grip and turned away, walking back from where he came before stopping and tilting his head to gaze at her from the side.  _

_ “I’ll never forgive you.” And with that, he returned to the side of the fallen princess.  _

_ Cassandra could do nothing but stare at his retreating figure, her knees going weak as she fell and bowed her head. What had she done? A whimper escaped her lips and she put her elbows on the ground - unable to look at the chaos around her. Her forehead rested in her palms as the havoc went unnoticed by the fallen women.  _

_ So many mistakes, and her friend had paid the price. _

_ Footsteps tapped against the ground next to her, but she couldn’t be bothered to look up. She knew who they belonged to; they were too light to belong to anyone else.  _

_ “The poor dear. What did he do to deserve this?” _

_ When the demon got no response, she continued.  _

_ “He lost a future wife. His dream. His home.”  _

_ She paused and came closer, lifting Cassandra’s chin to meet her eyes. The sickening, smug smile returning to the demon’s face.  _

_ “And he has no one to blame but you.” _

_ But the demon didn’t stop there. She led Cassandra’s head to the castle and the debris that had surrounded them. _

_ “For what happened to the kingdom.”  _

_ “For what happened to the princess.” Again, Cassandra allowed the demon to lead her defeated gaze to the fallen figure not too far from where she laid. Her tears fell harder.  _

_ “And for what’ll happen to him.” Zhan Tiri moved her in the direction of Eugene, pointing towards him. _

_ At this, Cassandra’s head snapped up and she looked at the demon in horror. The stone embedded in her chest began to glow brighter and brighter. And at that moment, she knew what would happen next.  _

_ She looked up to the new captain to give him a warning. But it was too late. A black rock pierced the ground. She reached a hand out to Eugene, hoping she could do something - anything - to stop what she knew was inevitable. But her efforts were in vain and before she could do anything, the rock went straight through him, leaving his body limp before he fell to the ground in a thud, the rocks leaving, yet, another to fall victim to them before retreating back to the ground.  _

_ “NOO!” All she could do was stare at where the body lay, now still and lifeless. Her breath stopped and she lowered her hand, mouth agape, tears creating puddles from where they fell from her chin.  _

_ “And at the end of it all, I’ll still come out on top.”  _

_ Cass cried out as pain rippled through her, the moonstone taken from her chest by a little grey hand. The sundrop and the moonstone floated in front of the demon and once they had embedded themselves on her gloves, she grew, transforming into her final form. She looked down at Cassandra, disgust in her frown.  _

_ “And you’ll end up just like your mother. Hated and left behind. Felled by your own ego.” _

_ Cassandra couldn’t move. Her gaze remaining where her former friend lay as a pool of red grew beneath him, one thought resonating in her mind. _

_ Zhan Tiri was right.  _

_ And all the while screams echoed around her and buildings crashed; the world around her destroyed. But despite it all, all she could see were the corpses of her former friends: bloodied and hurt.  _

_ She stayed in her place as the world around her began to blur and dim, all the while Zhan Tiri continued to wreck the only home she ever knew.  _

_ When it all faded, she was left in the darkness that had engulfed her before. Only this time, a voice came to bid her a goodbye.  _

_ “I may be gone for now. But remember, Cassandra. You cannot run from me.” _

_ “You cannot run from who you are.” _

_ And as the voice died off, Cassandra was left alone once again; the only thing keeping her company were the tears that fell into the sea of black.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the wait. These past few months have really been a struggle. It’s really taken a toll emotionally and writing has kinda been an outlet for me and I’ve been channeling everything through it. So, I apologize if it’s not the best chapter, I’m not too proud of it myself, but I wanted to get something out there. 
> 
> As always, comments, thoughts, and criticism welcome. I love reading them! 
> 
> See ya around.


	8. Things Fall Apart II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol. When I compare my writing at the beginning to now, it’s definitely improved imo. Bold of me to assume that it’s in anyway good. But I’m trying this new thing out called “optimism” let me know if I’m doing it right. >-<  
> No, seriously. You don’t understand how many times I’ve been called pessimistic by my family lmao. 
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the slow updates. Schools starts on the 8th and I still have assignments for my ap classes and I’m procrastinating like crazy. And my test got cancelled because of COVID! Yay... senior year hasn’t even started and it’s already stressful XD. Shout out to all my overachievers and perfectionists out there, you guys know what’s up 
> 
> On a different note, here you guys go: another chapter.   
> Brief warnings: swearing and mentions of blood
> 
> Enjoy!

She didn’t know how long she laid there or how long she stared at the wooden ceiling of the room she was resting in, numbly following the beams that structured it with her gaze. She wasn’t even sure where she was.

The only thing Cassandra was aware of at the moment was that she was comfortable - more so than when she was on the road - and of the pain that came from an unknown weight on her still gloved hand, but that soon went unnoticed too. 

Despite the softness of the bed and the coolness of the breeze that grazed her face from the open window next to her, guilt and fear intoxicated her thoughts - a panic she had been trying to suppress building up behind the wall she had built to block out another outburst. 

_ In. Out.  _

But the visions that tormented her had broken her barrier: the pillow under her damp and the faint taste of copper mixed with that of salt tainted her lips. Her bangs stuck to her forehead and she shook in a cold sweat, flashes of her nightmare replaying behind closed eyes as her breath tried to even in an attempt to calm herself. 

_ In. Out.  _

It wasn’t real. Everyone was safe. And they had defeated Zhan Tiri.

_ In. Out.  _

She hadn’t gone that far. Everything was okay. 

_ In. Out.  _

“It’s  _ fine _ .” 

She didn’t realize that she had said that last part out loud, missing the hitching breath of the person asleep next to her in the midst of her alleviation. 

But having finally calmed herself enough to understand her surroundings, Cass forced out a sigh and averted her gaze from the ceiling to the open window. 

A cool breeze kissed her face and swept across the parts of her body that escaped the warmth of the blanket - sending shivers up her exposed arms and torso. The dim light of the moon shone through the flapping curtains - pearling over the room. And the only thing that broke through the silence, other than the crickets, was the occasional sound of clanking armor as the guards made their rounds - a detail she would’ve normally noticed but she was in no mood to give a damn. 

She also failed to discern the sleeping figure to her right, however. And when they shifted, the grip on her hand tightened, sending shocks of pain up her wrist. Cassandra flinched and turned from the window to the opposite side. Caught off-guard, she tensed and began to reach for the knife hidden in her belt with her free hand.

Someone she hadn’t recognized at first sat in a chair next to her, their head deep in the sheets that messily covered the bed, and they held her injured hand tightly with both of their own. Soft snores from under their buried face accompanied the sound of the crickets outside, piercing through the quiet of the room as the night progressed. And when their head moved to rest on its side, Cass soon came to realize that it was just her father and she relaxed - letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. 

But, after seeing him, the events of the day prior to finally caught up to her - chasing away some of the tormenting thoughts and offering a reassurance that she had been missing for far too long. 

She remembered that he had forgiven her. He held her and told her what she wanted to hear for so long: that he was proud. And here she was, reunited with her father at last, after four years of traveling. And although she had done hurtful things, he was willing to forgive her and move on. Even if she didn’t deserve it. 

But of course, her relief was short lived and, frowning, she shifted to her side and moved her free hand from the handle of her hidden knife to the top of her father’s tensed ones in an attempt of finding solace. 

As much as she wanted to accept the words of comfort he had offered her the day before, a part of her wouldn’t let her. Not yet, at least. Not until she made it up to him - to everyone. Not until she deserved it. 

She didn’t know how she’d do it - or how long it would take - but she’d be damned if she didn’t figure it out. 

But… she’d be lying if she said his words hadn’t comforted her a little bit. She’d missed him and being here with her father again felt… good. She began to think that, thanks to him, maybe she wouldn’t have to deal with her pain by herself. That maybe being here would help her and she could feel like herself again. She’d been a fool for not wanting to see him again.

A slither of hope settled into Cassandra and she held onto it - a part of her beginning to feel at home again after four long years. Relief flooded into her once more and she felt a small smile tug at her lips - comfortably rubbing circles with her gloved thumb against the back of her father’s hand, tension slipping from her shoulders. 

She was interrupted from her thoughts as her father’s grip tightened before loosening again, sending another wave of pain up her arm. Flinching and not wanting any of her wounds to worsen, Cassandra took the opportunity to escape his grasp and sat up against the headboard of the bed - looking around the room she assumed was her father’s. 

It wasn’t big, but it was perfect enough for a person to live comfortably. Wooden furniture occupied the sides and corners of the room, and an olive rug complimented the deep oak wood of the cottage and the minimal decor it had, tying the whole room together simplistically. 

A glare caught Cass’s eye and her gaze shifted to a golden picture frame resting on the bedside table not too far from where she sat. She reached over and turned the frame - basking it in the moonlight.

Her eyes widened at the image of her and her dad in an embrace. She resettled into her previous position with the frame in her hand, admiring the painting of what - she guessed - was the handiwork of Rapunzel. 

The thought of her friend brought her guilt back and she felt her chest tighten. 

_ Raps. _

And soon enough, memories of the day she left Corona and the visions of her nightmare that plagued her not too long ago, replayed. Names of the things she was called echoed in her ear. The glances she got seemed to materialize in the glare of the frame. The image of the state of Corona flashed before her. Rapunzel’s bleeding and lifeless form on the ground and her husband sharing the same fate shortly after. His words echoed in her ear - the weight of it all slowly crashing on her shoulders again and she felt her smile fall and her wall crack. 

Cass shook her head and rested it on the headboard, her shoulders falling - looking, yet again, at the ceiling. She didn’t want to think about it -didn’t want to remember. She just wanted it all to stop. 

_ In. Out. _

But it all came back full force. And no matter how much she fought, the memories of her nightmares and the sleepless nights plagued with guilt and fear crept back. And all the reassurance she had felt fled as quickly as it came. 

She pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut- digging her fingers into the palm of her hand until she felt the cuts reopen and blood soak through her glove and onto the hem of the sheets - letting the images pass by until she felt numb, her mind blanked, and her tears - both clear and red - dry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s short, ik. Sorry about that. Cut the chapter into two parts; the transition wasn’t working out so I cut it in half. 
> 
> Next chapter’s gonna be important and will be out soon. 
> 
> And wow! We hit 100 kudos! You all are awesome, thank you guys!! 
> 
> As alwayyys, comments, thoughts, and criticism welcome! Love reading what you all have to say!
> 
> See ya around <3


	9. Discoveries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been raining for two weeks and after a long, long summer of sun and hot weather, its been nice to have cool weather again; gloomy days are my favorite. 
> 
> Anyway, another chapter. Not too proud but it's the best it's gonna get. 
> 
> *I did post it earlier, but I needed to change somethings so I took it down -oops*
> 
> That being said, enjoy!

If there was one thing Cassandra didn’t mind while on the road, it was that the call to adventure always served as a distraction - even if it was temporary.

So, having let her storm pass, she set the frame back on the table and opted to walk around. Anything to distract her- to clear her head of thoughts that followed her wherever she went. If only for tonight. And maybe looking around (of what she guessed was her dad’s home) would do just that. 

That being said, she slipped out of the bed and began to make her way to the door on the opposite side of the room - missing the oxidizing stains that colored the white hem of the sheets brown in the midst of her restlessness. 

She was careful to be as silent as possible, minding the occasional piece of furniture in her path and the creaking of the wooden boards beneath her that would occasionally make themselves known.

Finally making it to her exit, Cass spared a glance in her father’s direction whilst gripping the door handle, letting out a sigh of relief at the sight of the still sleeping figure oblivious of the commotion in his room. 

At last, Cass slipped out and restlessly made her way down the hall - taking in as many details as the darkness would permit her to. No doors were left open, so she decided she wouldn’t enter them lest she wanted to risk waking her father if one were to creak loudly. And the walls were adorned with different flags and paintings - an occasional weapon also making an appearance. 

Stopping at the end of the hall, Cassandra arrived at the only room she recognized: the living room where she first reunited with her dad the day prior. 

She could clearly see the sanded, oak floor. A clear glass wooden cabinet occupied the corner of the room with two couches lining the walls next to it. A rug sat under a table in the middle - an extinguished candle standing forgotten in the center of the wooden table. The ticking of the grandfather clock broke through the silence from where it stood on the side of the hall entrance. And house plants lined the ledges of the windows, their leaves reflecting the pearling light of the moon. 

It looked simple and comfortable. Nothing less of what she expected from the former captain. 

Eying the various weapons in the cabinet, Cass went to that corner first. The closer she got, the more she made out. But nothing peaked her interest until familiar little figures caught Cassandra’s eye. Opening the glass cupboard-like door, she could see most, if not all, of her miniature clay models she had made for her dad on Guardians Day long ago resting on the shelves - much to her surprise. 

_ I can’t believe he kept them for this long.  _

She wanted to pick one up, but soon thought against it. They were cracked, the years wearing the material down, and she didn’t think her dad would appreciate it if he woke up to find one of them with a missing or broken arm (especially since she knew how much they had meant to him). 

Smiling nostalgically, Cass’s gazed roamed over the rest of the objects occupying the shelves of the cabinet. She hadn’t found it if anything interesting, however. For the most part, weapons and her clay models took up most of the space.

But just as she was going to close the door, she noticed something in the corner of one of the shelves that she hadn’t recognized before. Curious, Cassandra reached for it and held it up to the moonlight. It seemed to be a leather wallet and she could feel the indents of an engraving on the front of it.

Her brows drew together slightly. Strange, she didn't remember her dad having anything like this before. 

As it turns out, it was a lock picking set and she looked at it incredulously. Why would her dad have anything like this? Confused, she squinted her eyes, trying to make out what the engraving said. Maybe it would offer a clue.

The task proved harder than anticipated, however, and she moved to the window, sliding the sheer curtains to the side - allowing the leather to fully bask in the moonlight. 

_ Better, _ she thought and she tried again- the words a lot clearer. And, with what she saw, she couldn’t help but let another smile grow on her lips. 

_ Heard you were bored in retirement. So since you gave me your job, I thought it was only fitting that I gave you mine.  _

_ Boom. Problem, solution. You’re welcome!  _

_ ~ Eugene Fitzherbert  _

Rolling her eyes, Cassandra let a small chuckle escape her lips. She could practically hear his voice and the mocking tone he would save to specifically use with her or the former captain. Shaking her head, Cass undid the strap that held the set together - allowing the leather to unfurl in her hand. 

~*~

The captain stirred at the sound of a door closing. But he shook it off, thinking it was the clinking of the armor of one of those stupid ‘guards’ making their rounds again.

It wasn’t until a few moments later that the former captain felt the wind slipping between his parted fingers and realized that his hands were cold and empty.

”Cassandra?” 

Drowsily looking up, he expected to see his daughter fast asleep on his bed where he placed her earlier, but it was empty. He immediately straightened, looking around the room but he also found it in the same condition. 

Panic seized him and recalling the sound that spurred him from his slumber in the first place, he instantly went for the door, fearing it was Cassandra leaving.

She seemed so reluctant to stay when they reunited and he thought that her absence meant that she was going to leave without saying goodbye. But, he didn’t want to lose her again. Selfish as it may sound, he wanted her to stay. It had been four long years and he’d missed her more everyday that she was gone.

And looking after her as she slept, well... it made him glad that she came back. She has him worried. She looked pale and he couldn’t miss the fact that she looked thinner. She needed help. And, whether she stumbled upon him intentionally or not, he was not going to see her go until he knew that she was ok. 

The former captain frantically went to the door and down the hall in search of his daughter - hoping to catch her in time if his fears were correct - opening every door and checking every corner of the rooms in his home, but all were in the same condition as the bed: empty. 

He stopped at the end of the hall and looked around the room. And upon seeing his daughter next to the glass cabinet in the living room, he relaxed - letting out a sigh of relief - and leaned against the frame of the hall, eyes softening as he looked at what she was doing there.

_ She stayed. _

From where he stood, he noticed that she was holding something and, being that the cabinet doors lay open, he figured it was the figurines he had placed there. But he was wrong, and much to his surprise, she was holding the present he had gotten from Fitzherbert. Amused by the confused look on his daughter’s face, he figured he would get her attention with a much needed explanation.

~*~

“Can you believe he gave that to me as a birthday gift?” 

Cass flinched at the sound of her dad’s voice. She turned around and relaxed at the sight of his tired frame leaning against the doorway - the smile returning to her face mirroring the amused one he was giving her. 

“Of course he did.”

“He even offered me lessons on how to pick locks - said I might end up as great a thief as him. Ha! The nerve of him!” A chuckle from the previous captain followed; and, leaning forward, he continued in a lower voice, as if he were telling her a secret, “But between you and me, I almost took him up on the offer.”

Cass rolled her eyes for the second time and laughed - not noticing the way her dad’s tensed shoulders relaxed upon hearing it. She rolled the leather set back up, secured it shut and looked at the engraving again. “Sounds like he hasn’t changed a bit.” 

“Oh, I’d say his ego is well intact.” 

He only got a hum in response before the two fell into a comfortable silence. The former captain made his way to one of the couches closest to his daughter and watched her carefully as she traced the engraved message with her glove thumb- her smile slowly faltering as she lost herself in her thoughts. 

Her dad could only guess what she was thinking about - especially if the day before was any indication. She’d been gone for four years with the weight of guilt over her back. She needed help and he knew now that it was with the help of those around her that could finally put her thoughts to rest. 

He frowned. But given the circumstances of the crown, it may prove harder than they think. Did she know that? 

Meanwhile, Cass hadn’t moved - still eyeing the message on the set. She could just imagine their bickering when her dad had received the gift and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss the banter she and Eugene would exchange on a daily basis. 

Something must’ve shown on her face because the former captain instantly picked up on the change and he moved into her line of sight. And she couldn’t miss the worry on his face. 

“You miss them.” 

It wasn’t a question. It didn’t need to be. The silence that followed was all the confirmation the captain needed. And he was okay with waiting until she was comfortable enough to talk. 

Ere long, Cass broke it, her voice hesitant. “Do you think they’ll want to see me?” She asked, not looking up from where the object was in her hands. 

_ She doesn’t know _ .

The former captain stood and made his way over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder and the other on hers as she fiddled with his gift. He guided her hands down and turned around to face her. 

“Of course they would, you know that. It’s just …” he trailed off, looking to the side - hoping she didn’t catch the last part. But, of course, she did. 

“Just what?” 

“N-nothing, just, uh, we might have to wait a couple-.” 

He was pivoting and she knew it.

“Dad.” He looked back to his daughter and he could tell that his slip up made her more worried than she already was.

Cassandra fixed him with a soft glare - she could tell when her dad was hiding something. So she pressed.

“You can tell me. What’s going on?”

The man took a deep breath, bracing to tell her, yet he hesitated again. Selfish as it may be, he was hoping he would get a few peaceful days with Cassandra without having to worry about the state of the kingdom. It was bad enough that she was dealing with her own problem and he didn’t want to add anything else to it. 

But she backed him into a corner and he couldn’t keep things from her anymore - he saw the effect that had on everyone. Noticing that she was going to inquire further, he looked into her eyes and stopped her before she could say anything else. 

“You’re right. It’s just, I wanted to spend time with you before I told you what’s been going on but you deserve to know..”

He searched her eyes and found the determination she always had in her, and this reassured him. Placing a hand on his, Cassandra urged him to continue. So, taking a deep breath, he finally spit it out.

“Corona’s been conquered.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I just do that?  
> Lol. Oops. 
> 
> Good luck to everyone starting school! it's gonna be a weird year and I'm sad I have to spend my senior year online :/  
> But we'll get through this, I hope. My first day was yesterday and I already have 3 assignments for calc and my teacher didn't even give us a lesson... don't know how I feel about that lol
> 
> Anyway, as always, comments, thoughts, and criticism welcome!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! See ya around


	10. Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the very slow updates, school is draining everything out of me. College application deadlines are coming up and goodness is everything more difficult online :/
> 
> But I think you’ve all waited enough. Hope you enjoy!

The reassuring smile the former captain received from his daughter fell from her face immediately and she shook her head incredulously. Her face twisted from confused to worried before finally settled on anger. 

“ _ What? _ ”

The older man flinched at her tone but maintained composure - gripping her shoulders in a futile attempt to console his daughter. “Now, Cassandra-”

She shook free of his hold and took a step back. “ _ Why  _ didn’t you say something earlier?” 

“I-” He was interrupted again, however, when Cass abruptly took hold of his elbows and held them in a firm grasp - demanding answers. The tremble that overtook her grip betrayed her, however. 

“R-Raps, Eugene, are they okay? Is everyone okay? Where are they?”

The former captain held her gaze for a moment before turning away slightly. He didn’t know how to answer. 

“I - I don’t know.” 

Everything Cassandra was thinking about - every doubt, every worry of her own- was swept to the side in a second; the worry that lined her face and the way her grip tightened on his arm told the older man all he needed to know. 

“Who the  _ hell  _ did this, Dad?”

He sighed and wordlessly led her over to the kitchen where a wooden table stood next to a single window. He looked out, making sure that no one was listening in, knowing that the stupid guards have made it a habit to eavsdrop every now and again. 

Once the former captain was sure they were alone, he made sure the window was shut all the way and adjusted the curtain to obstruct the view of anyone who decided it was a good idea to spy on them. He joined Cassandra at the other end of the table, taking the seat across where she impatiently sat - her inquiries beginning anew. 

“What happened?”

He looked at his daughter before hunching over the table and fixating his gaze to his hands - his voice breaking the silence in a whisper. 

“Listen, Cassandra, I don’t know everything, but I’ll tell you everything I can - everything Stan has given me.”

“Stan?”

“I’ll explain later, I promise.”

A deep breath. A final glance at the window. And then he began. 

“Ever since you left, the King and Queen had been helping the Princess with her duties and it’d been a couple of months ago that his and her majesty found her ready to take on the role as Queen. Everything was going as planned. The Coronation date was set - the people were celebrating- all was well.” 

A brief pause and then he continued. 

“It was a couple of weeks ago - the day of the celebration. The Princess was ready and Fitzherbert had the guards in place. We… we thought we were all safe. Fitzherbert had done a great job with the guards and everything’s been peaceful in the time that you were gone. But..”

His voice died in his throat and a tense silence rang through the air- the both of them knowing what was coming next. 

The appearance of Cassandra’s hands over his tense ones urged the former captain forward and he continued. 

“But… there was a jail break - a  _ damned _ inside job. ”

He paused again, a tremble overtaking his hands and he could feel Cass’s tighten over his - her own mirroring his tensing the more he continued.

“Who broke out?”

“The Saporians - every single one locked up. I-”

“I thought they were locked up good… How - how did they manage to-” The former captain cut her off. 

“Before the breakout, things started disappearing from the labs and around the castle. Guards went missing one by one and, my guess would be that the Saporians got recruits to fill their spots.There were guards working for them right under our noses - let Andrew and the rest of his scum out of their cells while the celebration was beginning to take place. And once Corona was defenseless enough, they attacked. After they escaped, they joined the rest of the Separatists - a whole army - and surrounded the castle. And as soon as they had the opportunity to strike, they took everything and everyone - Princess Rapunzel, Eugune, Varian -  _ everyone _ .” 

The former captain raised his head and looked at his daughter’s shock. But it quickly disappeared and was replaced with a grim face - her mouth in a line, brows furrowed, and eyes sharp. 

“I thought there were only a couple Saporians left outside of the ones you caught before I left.”

He looked at her sadly. “There were more of them than we thought.”

Heavy silence loomed over the pair - the former captain resuming his trace of the lines in the table while Cass tried to meet his gaze. Her grip on her father’s hand tightened in an attempt to gain his attention once more - a lump forming in her throat at the question she was eager to get an answer to. 

“Are - are they ok, Dad?”

He looked up, but didn’t meet her gaze completely, and mirrored her worry. 

“I - I don’t know for sure. After the Saporians… took over the kingdom, they said that the King would keep the royal family unharmed so long as everyone obeyed their commands.”

Cassandra’s face scrunched in disgust- knuckles white - trying to hold back a grimace at the pain the pressure she was applying to her hand caused. 

“Who’s the king?”

“No one knows except those that work in the castle. Anyway, they ordered the Corona guard to merge with their army and, well as you can see, they patrol every night for ‘maximum security’ so nothing can come in or get out. They’ve been really careful - anyone that tries to escape or fight against them is taken to the castle and that would be the last anyone would hear from them.”

He paused and looked at her curiously, “How did you get in by the way? Past the guards, I mean.” 

Cass’s lips peeled into a small smirk, tilting her head to the side. “They were asleep.” 

“You’re kidding..” 

“Nope, they were both knocked out.” 

They both let out a little chuckle. 

“You would never have let that slide.” 

“Heh, don’t you know it.” 

A solemn quiet over took the room once again. Cassandra took a sharp inhale before leaning back, placing her hands on her end of the table, and looking her father in the eyes. 

“We have to do something-”

The sound of the former captain’s chair hitting the wooden floor and his firm voice stopped Cassandra mid - sentence. She looked up at him in surprise - his mouth set in a firm line, eyes closed, and brows furrowed - not expecting the troubled reaction she got from the former captain. 

“No, absolutely not.”

… 

“What?”

Before Cassandra could say anything further, the former captain abandoned the fallen chair, abruptly walked around the table, sat in the chair next to hers, and took Cass’s hands in his own. He held them as close and tight as he could - looking at his daughter with a look she didn’t think she’d ever been able to forget. 

She couldn’t help but let out a hiss at the pressure applied to her wounded hand. She eyed her father carefully - worried he had noticed. But only despair and sorrow lined his face and the trembling that conquered his fingers had not resided. 

“Look, I don’t know what’ll happen next, but after you left, Cassandra, I promised myself that I wouldn’t  _ ever  _ let anything happen to you again. Who knows what those damn Saporians will do once they find out you’re back.”

Surprise returned to Cassandra’s face once again - caught off guard at her father’s sudden shift. A small, grateful smile played on the edge of her lips, however, and she whispered softly. 

“... Dad, I can take care of myself. You know that.” Cassandra’s eyes narrowed slightly, “It’s not like you to not help.”

“I know, it’s just just that - well - to be completely honest with you, I still see you sprawled out on the balcony the day you left. I could’ve done more but I didn’t and there you were. Lifeless.” He shuddered at the thought. “I see it everyday for the past four years. And I can’t bear to see you like that again - I can’t risk it, Cassandra.”

“But…” 

“I - I can’t lose you again.” His grip tightened more but Cassandra was too in shock to notice and the pressure caught her off - guard.

“Gah!”

“What’s wrong?” 

She pulled her hand away from his grasp and quickly hid it under the table - eyeing her father’s hand for any stains. She found none and let out a silent sigh of relief before answering him. “N-nothing.”

“You sure?” Cass averted her gaze before looking at her guardian again.

“Yes - just hurt it on the way here - it’s fine.” 

... _ Not a complete lie _ .

She eyed him carefully and continued when it seemed that he had let the topic go. 

And he did, for now at least. 

“Look, I know that it’s probably going to be dangerous, but we can’t not do anything. This isn’t like you.” 

The former captain wasn’t having it, however, and he answered her firmly. “Rebelling against the Separatists is  _ not _ an option. What if you get caught?”

Cass flinched. 

“Dad, listen…”

“If I lose you, I don’t know  _ what _ I’d do. Besides, we don’t know what kind of trouble the Princess and her friends are in or where they even are.” His voice began to rise and he began to massage his temple - a sign he was beginning to get frustrated. 

“Which is only more of a reason to save them. Are you hearing yourself right now?!” 

“Enough!” The vase on the table shook when the captain’s fist hit the surface. “I can’t let you do that, Cassandra!” 

Quiet seeped into the kitchen as Cass reeled back a bit - old habits of the former captain seeping through his rejections - and he seemed to notice too. Her breath was caught in her throat before she looked at father. 

“You’re doubting me again…” 

The former captain froze at her words and his eyes widened. His fist loosened slowly and he brought it down to his lap. He said he wouldn’t do this anymore - he would trust her - but here they were. 

_ Again _ .   


The former captain couldn’t deny the hurt look on his daughter’s face and it pained him, so he averted his gaze from Cassandra’s - realizing his mistake. He returned his hand to his temple and sighed.

“You’re right. I’m sorry - I’m just worried, hun. We don’t know what’s in store if we go through with this.”

Cass understood that but she wasn’t going to give up; she owed this to the kingdom, to her friends - her  _ family  _ \- if she could even call them that _.  _ They didn’t deserve this and she’d be damned if  _ Hubert  _ got the last laugh. 

She owed them that much at least. 

“Dad,  _ look at me _ .” She set a hand on his and took a long, shaky inhale - preparing for what she was going to say. 

“When I took the moonstone, I did… horrible things to you, Rapunzel, Eugene, Varian -  _ everyone. _ But through it all, they - they never gave up on me. They’ve done so much for me and I’m not giving up on them - I  _ refuse  _ to give up on them.”

She straightened her back and took initiative, making sure to keep eye contact with her father the whole time. 

“And you should too. We can do this, together. There has to be some way to get inside the castle. Please…”

She took both his hands in hers. “Help me save them.”

The older man stared at her and he saw that… she needed this. Though she put up a tough front, he could see the pain in her eyes - the guilt - that followed her the past four years. He could see everything catch up to her at that moment and that all the pain she was feeling was still raw. 

And he needed to do this, too. Not just for the kingdom, the princess, or her friends, but for Cassandra as well. She’s hurting and, though he couldn’t bear to see her injured again, letting her down would be worse. 

And he had already let her down  _ so many times  _ already. He couldn’t put her through that again. 

So with a stern, set look and tone, he looked her in the eye. “Okay. What’s the plan?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me thus far! 
> 
> Next chapter is gonna be fun to write, be on the lookout for that 
> 
> As always, comments, thoughts, and criticism welcome! Love hearing what you all have to say! 
> 
> See ya around <3


	11. Not So Hidden Anymore pt. I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the chapter I wanted to have out but my current circumstances have forced my attention away from a lot of things.
> 
> This chapter may not be the best and may seem a bit incomplete and I may revisit it. But I got sick with covid and it’s hitting me harder than I expected it to and it caused a death in my family - so I’m sorry if I disappoint. 
> 
> But this chapter is split up into two parts and the second part will be written soon. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy :)

The pale, pearlescent glow of the moon gradually retreated to the window - replaced by the warmth of golden rays bathing the room the former captain and his daughter resided in. 

A yawn escaped the lips of the former captain - interrupting his steady copping. The making of their plan had the pair working through the night - the returning, rhythmic march of the Saprion guards as the sun made its way over the horizon their indication that the night had come to an end. 

The duo had drawn maps, schemed, and the former captain had his fair share of intel to share with his daughter. Apparently, Stan had been secretly visiting the former captain ever since he was forced to work under the Saporians - occasionally updating the former captain on the things he saw in hopes an opportunity would make itself known for them to do something. He had been able to provide him with the vague whereabouts of the Royal family - something the former captain had failed to bring up earlier in the night. And, conveniently, it seemed that, to both the older man and the guard, the tunnels under the kingdom have remained temporarily untouched by the rebels - most of the pair’s plan relying on them because of the fact. Both Cass and her father knew that if they didn’t act quickly however, even they would eventually be compromised. 

Another yawn escaped the former captain’s lips as he chopped away - Cass staring blankly at the paper map her father had gotten out in the meantime. Scribble, arrows, and notes conquered the page’s borders - a result of their nightly endeavor.

A frown soon made its way onto her face, however. She didn't like the direction the plan had gone- much of it being… off. Regardless of her father’s willingness to listen to what she had to say, he was still reluctant - hesitant even. Her initial plan had been altered - something she couldn’t help but blame on her father for his hesitance. 

Cassandra had originally wanted to sneak through the tunnels alone, the former captain, however, had insisted on the both of them going to the palace together. On first thought, it seemed like a decent idea to Cass, but the more she thought about it, the more flawed she realized it to be. If the streets and what she saw the night before were any indication, who knew how guarded the palace would be. With the both of them heading there at once, the probability of them getting caught was greater. They couldn’t risk it.

A silent sigh escaped her lips. She couldn’t pretend that she didn’t understand where he had been coming from though. He’d made it clear the night before that he didn’t want them to be separate anymore and there wasn’t any premise for her to blame him because of the fact. 

But she couldn’t help but feel that he was stalling. Cassandra wanted to leave that very night - the guilt continuing to plague her the more she thought about what had happened to her friends. But the predecessor of the guards insisted on waiting  _ days _ \- his argument being that they needed to make sure everything was in place. What he had been talking about was beyond her - their plan relying more on the pair’s readiness if anything. 

She knew there was more to it than he was letting on though. The way he would silently eye her throughout the course of their planning hadn’t slipped her attention and his hesitance hadn’t gone unnoticed either.

She couldn’t wait that long, however. Rapunzel, Eugene, Varian needed their help. Who knows what’s happened to them - frankly, she didn’t want to try and think about the possibilities of their condition - the thought of them hurt making her heart ache more than she’d like to admit. 

She’d be lying if she said those were her only reasons for rejecting her father’s plan. Cass’s gaze shifted to the former captain again. He looked tired and worn out - the past two days obviously haven taken a toll on him - the shadows cast by the sun deepening the dark circles beginning to form around his eyes. Her brows furrowed and she pursed her lips - looking down at the map again. 

She had to think of something else - a new plan.

She didn’t want to put him in harm’s way again. Getting to the palace was going to be dangerous - let alone getting to the dungeons where her friends were being held. Who knew how secure it would be, let alone how hard it would be for  _ two  _ people to get past unseen. Besides, he wasn’t as agile as he had once been, if something happened to her father  _ again,  _ she wouldn’t know what she’d do to herself. 

The thought of endangering the older man brought flashes of the alleyway behind Cass’s every blink. Grey clouds. Silver shards. Boulders. They all made themselves known once more and she was powerless in preventing them - much to her dismay. She stilled, her eyes squinted shut, her hands fidgeting with the corner of the map in front of her until it creased in her tensed fist - her right leg bouncing in a vain attempt to relieve some tension. 

The shattering of glass snapped Cassandra out of her trance and she straightened from her slouched position. She looked to where it had come from and saw that her father’s grip on a plate had loosened during another wave of his fatigue - the plate shattering into a couple of pieces on the countertop. 

The former captain’s eyes widened in surprise - a frustrated grumble escaping his lips as he paused his current task to remove the broken glass. Cass wouldn’t have any of it however. Standing up from where she sat at the table, she moved to where her father was exasperatingly moving the broken plate. 

“Okay Dad, that’s your cue.” 

He looked at her in confusion when she took the piece of glass he was holding from his hand. “Cue for what?”

“To get some rest, you’re not looking too great.” She nudged him in the direction of the hall that led to his bedroom - eyeing him when he let out a stubborn huff in response. Before she could nudge him any further, he turned and held her shoulder - the worried look he’d been giving her throughout the night returning. 

“Me? What about you, Cassandra. You look exhausted.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. He wasn’t wrong, the dull heachache that had lasted throughout the course of the night reminding her of the fact that she hadn’t gotten adequate rest in a while, but she had something she needed to do. “I’ll be fine, Dad. Besides, I’m not the one breaking plates. I’ll take it from here.”

She nudged him a little further away from the kitchen and headed back to finish cleaning the mess. The former captain took a couple of steps forward while looking back at his daughter, “If you’re sure…”

“I am.” She gave him a reassuring smile and nodded affirmatively before tilting her head toward the hall leading to his bedroom. 

“Fine, but only if you’ll rest too.” 

Her smile fell a bit, but she turned to face the broken shards before he could notice. “I’ll try.” 

The former captain made his way out of the kitchen with a nod, satisfied with his daughter’s answer. “Your room is the first one on the right.”

Cass looked at him from the corner of her eye. “Thanks Dad.”

“Of course.” He flashed a gentle smile before disappearing into the hallway. 

By the time the soft click of the door closing made itself known, Casssandra had already cleaned the glass off the surface her father had been working on and had returned to where the map lay on the table. 

As much as she would have liked to take her father up on his offer, she knew sleep would not come to her. It had been an endeavor to fall into a peaceful slumber before she had returned and now with the knowledge that her friends were in trouble and the kingdom had been taken over, it would be vain for her to try. 

Focusing on the task at hand, her thoughts resumed - the cloud of guilt reigning over her shoulder once again. But before she would allow it to take over her like it had the past four years, she flipped the map over onto it’s blank side. Swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking away tears that threatened to form, she grabbed the quil she and her father used through the night and dipped in again in ink - drawing a map and plan of her own. 

She was leaving tonight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, not a chapter I’m too proud of, but one that’s important. Guilt pushes you to do a lot of things. 
> 
> As always, comments, thoughts, and criticism welcome! Stay healthy and safe. 
> 
> See ya around <3


End file.
